


A Zootopian Fox in a Human World

by Freddy1X



Series: Two Worlds [1]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Bad Puns, Gen, Historical Account, Hokey explainations of science, Memoir, Sappy parts, Science Vs. Theology, Two worlds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:14:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 30,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26533444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freddy1X/pseuds/Freddy1X
Summary: A slacker fox is going nowhere in life, even though systematic repression is no longer an issue for fox kind.  What to do next with this new freedom?  Without a plan or goal there is just getting by.There is about to be a push from some deities to do better.The following is my memoir and historical account of how the world changed.These events take place about two years from now.  Your time line is about to catch up.
Relationships: Caretakers - Relationship, Friends - Relationship, Owners - Relationship, companions - Relationship, lovers - Relationship
Series: Two Worlds [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1937995
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	1. First Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> Zootopia and all related characters are owned by Disney corporation.  
> I am just visiting with a few of my friends to play in that world.

It all started when...  
I was crossing a street in a quiet Meadowlands neighborhood. The weather was sunny, and no clouds to be seen. Summer is almost over. There is no more oppressive heat.

There is a harsh crackly buzz all around me, static electricity causes my fur to puff out, and an intense smell of ozone. Then there is a flash as I am hit by something.

I wake up laying in the middle of a quiet street, aching all over. Something smells burnt.  
'This is what lightening is supposed to be like.'  
Everything is swirling as I look around trying to focus. There are no other mammals in sight. There is no traffic to be seen nearby. A few vehicles are parked to the sides. I've never seen car models like these before, and all are sized for large mammals.

I can hear distant traffic, so drag myself out of street before I get hit again. I slump to rest when I am safely lying in grass. Squinting, I see in front of me a yard sized business sign for '…. Veterinary Clinic Pets and Exotic Animals'.  
'What place takes mammals and pets?'  
I can still manage an unsteady crawl on four paws to the door, then pull myself up against the door to just reach the handle. The door is about three times my size.  
A bell jungles above me as I let myself inside the business, the door pulling itself closed behind me. I'm barely able to stand up with a paw against the wall.  
“See who that is, hon.” 'Someone knows I am here.'  
Seeing movement, I looked up asking:  
“Could you help me out here?”  
I saw them, they saw me. I jumped backwards into the door knob and all was dark again.

I woke up again, this time in a darkened room, laying on my side in a bed of some kind. No, this looked like a large mammal crib. I was laying in a corner uncovered, but there were sheets bunched up high just beyond me like I had kicked them off.

Because my head really hurts, I closed my eyes again. I reach up to rub my neck and find a collar, a thin, light, soft collar. Exploring it with both paws now, it seems to have a simple buckle and dangling from the front of it, a round metal tag. Because it still hurts to move, I don't feel like trying to remove the collar just yet and lay there listening. There are birds in the building, the pets obviously. A phone rang distantly and there was a murmur of a voice. There is a pup's bark and whine, that would be someone's child in another room.

There is a noise.  
'Someone is standing in the doorway to this room.'  
“I don't understand this.” He is speaking standard, but in an accent I have never heard before. There is a crackle like a sheet of heavy plastic film might make.  
“His limbs looked all wrong for a fox, almost twisted or broken.” 'Oooh!'  
“But look closer,” a female voice said,  
“nothing is broken.” 'Whew! They were looking at my X-ray.'  
“And I saw him walk in on his own, back paws only,” he goes on,  
“and I swear that he was talking to me before he jumped back and hit his head on the door.” 'Yeah that is still hurting.'  
“And wearing those clothes! I mean, who puts clothes on an animal?” 'Animal?' 'Wait',  
patting over myself,  
'no cloths, not even my shorts!'  
I roll onto my belly to try to cover, hoping they did not notice my movement.  
The male voice adds:  
“Maybe he is someone's exotic pet.” 'Pet? I am not some mammal's boy-toy!'  
He continues:  
“There is even a wallet with an I.D.. Huh, some sort of play money in it.” I can hear a paper shuffling sound now.  
'They are picking through my things.'  
“Never heard of 'Zootopia'. There is this thing that looks like a cellphone, and it even seems to work, but it is so small!” I am glad that it is currently locked.  
“The lock screen says 'Freddy Pelle', just like the … 'driver's license'?” It's her voice now and it ended as a question.

The lights go on and they are entering the room. I cover my ears with my paws and keep my eyes closed. I tense as they approach. I twitch when one of them touches my back. Then picks me up gently by the shoulders, shifting me around and cradling me like a child. I pulled tail up to cover my now exposed front-side, don't resist and stay limp, trying not to provoke them. But I do look up.  
“Hey boy are you feeling better now?” He says this in a higher-pitched, sing-song voice.  
'He's baby talking to me?'  
I remain silent. While in his grip it is calming and I feel safe, relaxing, helpless even.  
'He knows what he is doing'.

I don't know what I am looking at. They are clearly mammals for I can feel the warmth from the one holding me, and they both have some... fur. The other is obliviously female. Their scents although muted, tell me that they are curious. It is dominated by soaps and disinfectants, a typical doctor smell.  
I wave a paw and give them a meek:  
“Hi?”  
By the sudden shift I guess that I am about to be dropped and prepare for hitting the floor. He recovers before that can happen and pulls me back into the cradle hold. I see their eyes are wide.  
'Why have I shocked them?'  
My ears are flat I realize, I force them up again.  
“Um... are you OK?”  
'Did they just stop breathing?'  
I smell their fear rising.

They continue staring at me but the female is addressing her partner when she asks:  
“He talks?” “How is that possible?” is his answer.  
My ears are down again.  
“Where are we?”  
It's almost a whine.  
“West Side Exotic Veterinary Clinic” she states, her tone indicates a practiced reply.  
'I have her attention at least.'  
I stare, ears forward and she picks up on the implied question.  
“Indianapolis.”, like everyone should know this.  
“In .Dea .. An ...Apple ….Us?”  
I repeat, each word with a longer pause than the last.  
“Indiana?” she ventures. I say nothing.  
“America?” I squirm a bit and the male reads my signal, then delicately puts me down on the floor.  
'On all four paws!'  
When I stand up on two they shy back from me like I was an angry tiger.  
'This is awkward. And my clothes?'  
“Um ...can I have my clothes back?”  
“But you have fur to cover you!” I cross my forelegs and shoot back.  
“So do you!”  
I am guessing.  
“OK, sure!” the female says, face reddening. She is still looking me over, and finally asks:  
“You were really messed up when you came in. Can we finish checking you over for injuries and clean you up first? It's what we do here. ...No charge!” added hastily. I can tell that the offer is sincere. I can feel it somehow. They really want to help me, maybe even compelled for some reason.  
'How do I know this?'

'Do I really look that bad?'  
I hadn't noticed until now that I had a paw fussing with a particularly nasty looking and uncomfortable patch of my foreleg fur. There is soot on my paw pad when I remove it from the fur surface. Other than a couple of sore spots on my head, and an overall ache, I feel good enough. I rub my soiled digits together sniffing at the burnt fur odor on them.  
“Yes, I accept your offer, looks like I need it.”

The shampoo and rinse takes place in a neighboring room with equipment about my size. He needs to pick me up to get in, for some reason it is all high off of the floor with no ladders. There is a larger setup across the room.  
“OH!”  
'Do they know how to treat a mammal!'  
Both dig in and their style is so hands on soothing.  
'It's even better than Mystic Springs Oasis.'  
I am partially dried and carried by him to a metal exam table in another room. There I am deliberately placed on all four paws. I sniff at my still damp fur. There is none of the 'wet canine' smell that I usually experience. Something in the shampoo has cut down on my musk, and there is a lingering perfume in my fur. Working head to tail, he is giving me this fantastic brushing, He adds some white powder as he goes. She follows in his wake.  
'She must be the doctor.'  
She is giving me a thorough medical exam. I comply as my mouth is opened, lips & teeth checked, eyes & ears looked at. Front paws are next then she is working back along my flanks.  
I get groped.  
'Oof, yes I am a tod!'  
It finishes with a careful kneading out to the tip of my tail.  
“Yip!”  
Now she's lifting my tail in a determined fashion,  
“Please don't go there!”  
“I need to take your temperature.” “Sigh.. Yes.”

She finishes writing a note.  
“You are in excellent health considering how we found you. You clean up nicely.” I have to blush. I guess they are finished and sit on my haunches. They are both look proud of me as the finished product.  
I see a display on a wall with an x-ray film on it. Mine I would guess.  
“I heard you talking about that when I woke up,”  
pointing.  
“What is wrong about me?”  
“Well... You were obviously injured when you first came in. After we picked you off of the floor and started examining you, all of your limbs looked wrong for a normal fox” gesturing at my four legs.  
'A normal fox? They know what a fox should look like, but not like me?'  
“We took your X-ray. But now it makes sense when we see you standing before us.” That makes me self conscious again and curl my tail around my front. She fetches my clothes from a counter-top across room. They are still watching. Holding the bundle I glare, until they turn red, and face away. I pull on my clothes. With his back to me, he says:  
“We've never seen an animal like you, ever. And I'm guessing you have never seen humans either.” “No. Nothing ever like you he-u-mans. “OK, I'm done.”

I am at eye level with them while standing on the table. I hear the barking from another room again.  
They notice it too when my ears shift to the sound. He leaves and returns with what he calls a 'dog', which he places on the table near me. It is about my size, and I can tell this is not a pup. This mammal is not quite like a wolf.  
“Hello?”  
I offer him a paw, he licks my face instead.  
'Ick!'  
“They aren't sentient.” the human male adds. Embarrassed, I withdraw my paw. My expression is downcast.  
“So I am the only one of my species?”  
“We have foxes around, most living in the wild. They look much like you do. Some are kept as pets. Let me call my friend, he has a Russian tame fox.” and leaves room with the dog.

There is an awkward silence after the male leaves.  
“Oh! Sorry.“ She starts,  
“Our client's don't usually talk, my name is Linda and that was my husband Stan. This is our pet care business.” She gesturing about with her paws. We shake, my tiny paw lost in hers. Her paw had five digits and flat, blunt claws. Almost no fur.  
“Freddy Pelle.”  
We are getting used to each other, both still marveling at the new mammal in front of us.

Out of habit I pull out and check my phone. It is indicating 'no signal' on the display.  
'Right, Furizon wouldn't exist in this world.'  
Linda sees my background photo. It shows me posing with several friends and other mammals in a group shot at a sci-fi convention.  
"Can I see that?" I open the full version of my phone's background picture and offer it to her.

"The convention theme that year was "Judy and Nick: Superheros"."  
In the photo I was standing in a middle row, in full ZPD costume, posing with a group of 'Nick' tods and 'Judy' does. Mixed in were some 'Judy' vixens and 'Nick' bucks, sporting fake ears and tails as needed. Behind my section were the larger mammals in full ZPD costume as Judy or Nick.  
Up front were the smaller mammals including shrews, guinea pigs, stoats and bats. To the sides stood hilariously varied species versions of Finnik and Bogo.  
Two red fox pups stood near the front of my section, however, dressed as Junior Ranger Scouts. I have heard rumors about what they represent but never looked it up.  
“That's the real deal, Judy and Nick, the couple in the middle you see embracing.”

Linda opens her phone to photos and paws it to me, then scrolls through more of my pictures.  
Her photos show a lot of humans with their pets. They include smaller canines & felines, birds, snakes, and a bunny.  
'These are their clients.'  
I scroll to another photo folder.  
'These would be family and friends.'  
I pay special attention to things in the backgrounds.  
'Except for the species involved this world is identical to mine.'

“We need to take you to a 'furry' convention.” She waves for her phone. I look up and return her phone, while she slides mine back. I put it away. Linda pokes at hers for a few minutes, then places it in front of me again. It displays the front page of a promotional WEB site. There are photos showing happy humans wearing costumes made up of various animal parts, such as, tail, ears, and paws. The most prominent photos feature full body covering mammal designs. Many resemble mammals of my world. I can't help but notice the fox designs.  
“So you have the same mammals here that we have?”  
She gestures and I return the phone. With more prods at the screen she smiles and places it at my paws again. I scroll through the 'Animal Species Index' for several minutes.  
“This is right out of our natural history museum”.  
I return the phone to her. I am sitting on my haunches now while we small talk. We stop when we hear a door open & close along with a bell. Somebody is talking for a moment and the door makes noises again.


	2. A Different Kind of Fox

Stan walks in carrying a silver fox, wearing no clothes I notice. It seems to be a tod. Stan sets the fox down at the other end of the table, on all four paws, offers him something which gets snapped out of Stan's paw, then the fox lays down on his belly. He starts gnawing on the snack, One end in his mouth, the other end of which is braced in his front paws. He is only interested in the food.

“This is Vlad”  Stan strokes the other fox's back a few times. His pelt is much thicker than mine. Vlad wriggles under the hand like he is enjoying the touch. I notice a glint which draws my attention to his collar with it's shiny metal tag. It reads 'Vlad' with some smaller numbers below the name. I reach a paw to the one I realize that I still am wearing and can feel engraving on the surface of the tag.

“Vlad.” I repeat.  
His ears twitch in my direction when I say his name. He does not look up, still gnawing, and making happy, growly eating noises. I smell his male fox scent and that of another human.  
'Him and this other human, they must spend a lot of time together.'

What really captures my attention is the enticing smell of his snack. Linda giggles. I can't help that I am showing a universal 'I want one too' face. That is, my eyes are focused on Vlad, ears up and directed forward, whiskers straight out, lips just parted. I might have licked the fur near the front of my muzzle.

When Stan sees my rapid sniffing and 'the look', he pulls another one out of a bag he was carrying and offers it to me.  
“It's called a 'dog biscuit', foxes like them too”.

I take it in one paw. It's a few inches long, dark brown, flat, and has a word pressed into the top. Holding it this close the smell has me fighting back drool. I bite it. It is too long to fit in my mouth, after some tugging decide that it is too hard to break into smaller pieces, so I follow Vlad's example and start gnawing on one end.

'Wow! I could get used to these!'  
I didn't think I was hungry before.  
'We need these in Zootopia.'  
My new friends are quiet and observing of me I notice. With my lesser front paw I flick at my tag, and go back to gnawing.

“That's a standard issue dog tag and collar, I scribed it with your name after reading it off of the I.D. in your wallet.” For some reason he is looking to the side, to nowhere in general. Stan continues “All pets are required to wear them and when taken outside are to be leashed.”

I stop gnawing and stare at him. I suspect that there is more to this. Stan is obviously uncomfortable now.  
“We would like to show you around the city ...but you will need a leash. One of us will hold it.” “And... “ his face is a bit red, “you should stay down on all four paws and not talk to anyone. It would be safer if nobody else knows what you really are. You can keep your clothes on. Other people will be amused but not suspect anything.”

It feels like we are all holding our breath now. Except for Vlad, his whole world is still the dog biscuit. As I am thinking about my situation I slowly grind away at my dog biscuit again.

“Pets?”  
gesturing between Vlad and my self,  
“You keep calling us that! To you humans we are just pets?”  
Vlad has just finished his snack and lays there panting just a bit, looking to Stan like he is expecting another treat from the human. He looks my way when I spoke.  
“Pets are cared for and loved by human owners. Pets are also called 'companion animals'.” As if to illustrate, Stan says, in the same baby talk voice from before: “Do you want to go walkies?” This is directed to Vlad. The other fox is up on all paws and waits for Stan to clip on a short leash. Once placed on the floor, Vlad pulls against the leash, looking to the doorway out.

Linda holds the end of another leash before me, her question need not be spoken.  
“Sigh... Let's do this.”  
It is snapped to my collar and Linda puts me on the floor. I stay on four paws.  
'This is so degrading.'  
I am trailing as the group leaves the building. I keep up because I don't want to be dragged.

Out on the sidewalk it's a pleasant experience. Sunny, but cool enough for my fur, enough breeze to tell my nose about the city, no harsh noises. I can hear traffic in the distance. A few times something passes on the road next to our group.

Vlad is disturbing to watch. Always at the end of his leash and pulling, quickly moving from one side of our path or the other. He sniffs at what seem to be significant places, and has 'marked' a few of them. I don't have to get close to these spots to scent their frequent use by multiple individuals.  
'Am I expected to relieve myself that way too?'  
We sniff each other a few times, it's usually his idea. It shocks me when I am licked on the face, This is a too intimate act for grown strangers, public or otherwise.

He occasionally mumbles some simple words in vulpine. His replies to my questions are incoherent. I can't tell if he understands. Linda realizes that I am talking to Vlad.  
“Can you tell me about your fox language later?” I acknowledge with a smile and nod.  
“It's called 'vulpine'. um... Great weather we are having!”  
Linda smiles back. I know how vulpine sounds like barks, yips, and growls to an unfamiliar observer. 

We pass a few pedestrians. Vlad always jumps up, happy for a neck scritch. There are selfies taken with me. Clothes on pets is still a novelty I am told later.  
We walk a looping route for a few city blocks that is taking us back to the clinic. Stan leads Vlad up to a house and passes his leash to another human.  
'Vlad and his human live there.'  
That human points toward Linda and me, and talks a bit with Stan. I presume that it is about me. We finish the walk quietly.

Later, back at the clinic, we talk.  
“So you don't know how you got here either?” “No, I was crossing a street when it happened. There was a static feel when all of my fur puffed out, then a noise. I don't remember anything else. When I woke up I was lying in the street outside of this place. It felt like I was hit by lightening.”  
“That 'hit' you describe could explain the dirt and mussed up fur. An electric shock would cause your sore muscles. You also had a few patches of exposed fur where the ends were scorched. Most of it happened to your tail. I don't know how lightening could have happened. Here, the sky has been clear all week. There are no overhead wires nearby either.”


	3. You are who you eat

I am taken to their home that night. All I have eaten during the day were a few more of those biscuits. They amounted to 'rations'. I was going to need more. After a quick tour of the house we look at my food requirements. They were surprisingly similar to the humans.

Stan begins with something I haven't seen before.  
“This is called peanut butter.” He opens the jar and allows me a sniff.  
“It is safe for canines to eat. You should like it.” He does not permit me to take the jar and instead sticks a butter knife into it, removing a large glob of the stiff brown paste. Stan then holds out the laden knife lined up to my muzzle. His casual smile seems sincere.  
'I know that he is up to something, but I don't feel any threat.'  
Him and Linda are amused by something, but I know that they would never harm me. I open my maw to accept the food. Stan eases it in, then quickly clamps my muzzle shut over the knife with his other hand before pulling the knife out, leaving my mouth full of very sticky, tasty goo.  
I make a hasty effort to get my jaws apart again, paws pushing at my flews.  
“mmmmmm..MWah!”  
The Myers are laughing.  
“Bwah hid hoo oo haah fhor?'  
My tongue doesn't work. I realize the awkward sounds I make too late, they are laughing even harder. Linda has been recording a video of me this whole time.  
“Haah. Haah.”  
I express my frustration at the joke and work on clearing my mouth. Licking seems to be the only way of dealing with it, so that is how I spend the next twenty minutes.  
After that we sit down at their kitchen table for a regular dinner. All foods seem familiar to me. We watch the television later to give me a feel for this place. From time to time I comment on similarities and how there seems to be a lot of pun names involves.

As days go by, I am trying to help around the house. I can't properly set or clear the kitchen table without walking on it. I am helping wash the dishes once they get a me a small step ladder. With the vacuum cleaner being twice my height I give up exhausted after one room. They get a broom that is my size instead. There is not another room in the house setup with a bed. It's the sofa for the first few nights, then a dog bed in my own room after a visit to a pet store. It was a storage room before I moved in, still is, I don't take up much space. I get a pillow, and take one light bed-sheet to cover. I don't normally use a sheet, but since I can't sleep well wearing clothes, use it for modesty around the Myers. The extra clothes they get for me requires experimental modification of human children's sizes. I feel guilty about them spending this money. I am trapped here and alone. I can't earn money on my own. The money and cards I brought with me are useless.

The oppressive heat of summer is over so we walk to the clinic most days. I need to get outside occasionally and stay fit. It was normal for me to walk to most places before. The four paws stance I have to use while outside takes getting used to.

I have little difficulty finishing most of our meals so far. The 'smoked herring' was rank, salty, greasy, and tiny bones poked out. I felt a strange urge to put it on the floor and roll around on it.

Another day we get into a discussion about what we eat in our own worlds. So many things are the same. Needing to eat some meat items has us going over some of my options. They don't partake of insects. There are some names I know for the various fishes and birds, but others use words I have not heard.  
I am daily trying some other foods that do not exist on my world. I've looked at the packages in the refrigerator when one of them opens it. Sausage? Ground chuck? Sirloin steaks? In two cellophane wrapped packages the meats are a red color like I have never seen before. The sight worries me for some reason.

The toasted bread and jelly I have every morning is pretty standard. The milk tastes different from the other soy products I am used to, much better for some reason. Today they have prepared some 'bacon strips' for breakfast. I don't hesitate to start eating it. The smell and taste are great. After I ask, Stan explains some details of the foods I saw in their refrigerator.  
“Steaks are beef. “ “I don't know 'beef'.“  
“Cattle or cows?” I stop chewing on the latest bacon strip I held and throw it down, spitting out the rest. I panic.  
“I'm not eating...”  
Stan is puzzled by my sudden action.  
“No, that's not a beef product. Bacon is a pork product.” “Noooo....”  
That was my third piece I just threw down. I shove the plate away.  
“You eat your friends?”  
My voice is going up in pitch, I'm almost screeching now. I'm panting heavily when not speaking, maybe hyperventilating even.  
“No, it's not like that...” Stan counters.  
I interrupt:  
”That's cannibalism! You have me eating my friends!”  
My voice fades to a whisper,  
“...I've eaten ..my ...friends.”  
I drop to the floor and violently throw up everything I had for breakfast. I don't remember any more after that.

I wake up on my bed later, comfortably covered. I can tell that I have been cleaned but there remains a bad taste in my mouth. I remember what happened, and start dry heaving.  
'Who else have I eaten since I arrived?'  
I am keening at the thought of who I may have eaten in the last week. I frown when I notice that 'They' are watching me from the hall. I growl and roll over to face away.  
'Why did they do this to me?'  
They eventually give up and leave the doorway to my room.  
I try to sleep but nightmares keep coming. Every one is a variation of 'It's me eating a friend alive', or 'someone is eating me alive.'

I later notice that food and water have been left out for me. It's in dog dishes. Right now I see this as an insult, the Myers are reminding me of my primitive ancestry. I can't eat anything or even look at them the next day.  
'They did this to me, they didn't know, it's my fault, I trusted them, this is not my world, I can never tell anyone, they will still see it in your savage eyes, I didn't know, I should have asked, It's too late, It's part of me now, someone died, I didn't try to stop it, I'm tainted, I will kill again, You didn't kill anyone, they left food, can I trust their food, they are sorry, they are reaching out to me, they can't help me, they want to help me.'  
Thats all I can think about, awake hours spent curled up in that one spot, depressed, panting, and sometimes shivering.

They keep their distance for another day.

By the second day after the 'incident' I am eating the fruit and bread left there. That's safe. They are trying to not show themselves. Reasoned thought is coming back to me.  
Days later, I am finally able to face them and eat what they offer. There has been a long discussion about food and friends in both worlds. The offending meats are removed from the house. We compromise on the milk, since it does not come by brutal methods, it will continue to be accepted in this house. They will do what they can to limit my exposure to offensive food products. I will do my best to tolerate the presence of them when I am out in public. We can't change the world.

…  
I'm roused in the middle of the night.  
“Hello?”  
There's no answer. I spend a moment waking up and sniffing.  
“Who's there?”  
I reach out, longing to touch the other mammal who seems to be doing the same. But there are no new scents. Nobody has been near since I retired last night. The door to my windowless room remains closed. I have enough illumination from the cheap clock-radio to see everything. Nomammal is visible where my instincts tell me to look. Yet I'm sure I heard the voice right here this time. I withdraw my offered paw in defeat.

It was 'that dream' again. For as long as I can remember, I have been having this same dream. There is always someone here with me, the same indistinct mammal every time. It used to be a sometimes dream that never bothered me. I have had many other kinds of dreams over the years that were nothing similar. Then about two years ago, 'that dream' started coming every one or two weeks. The change has to be connected to that weirdness I felt at the convention photo shoot. It was that same night that the dream changed to what I experience nowadays, more frequent, more real, more intense like it is tonight. I wait for something that doesn't happen before drifting off to sleep.


	4. The Furry Convention

It is planned that Stan, Linda, Greg, and me are going to attend this 'furry' convention in Chicago. The weather is moderately cold, but my fur has filled out. Stan leads me around on a leash, I'm just wearing shorts and a 'service animal' vest, collar and tag and stay on four paws. Foxes are popular here, just like I noticed from their Internet. I am getting plenty of attention. For what we want to do while here, we go to con-ops and get a private meeting with con chair. It's just him, Stan, and me in a closed room. The humans are sitting in chairs while I sit on the floor between them.

I am feeling something from the chairman, an aura. He comforts me somehow just by being this close, It's like what I feel around Stan and Linda. I was picking up the same aura from some other humans we pass on the walk to this room. I didn't know there was that difference in humans before today.  
This has distracted me, I wasn't paying attention to the conversation for a bit. I almost missed my cue.  
Stan is still talking:  
"... here for a special presentation with Freddy." He points at me. I'm still doing my 'dumb animal' act, using some ideas I got from watching Vlad. I am a 'tame' fox.  
"Are you interested? Can I go on?" Stan asks.  
Chair:  
"I'm interested, go ahead."  
Stan Is actually directing the 'Can I go on?' question for me. I am his second opinion. The scent changes from the chairman almost tell me what he is thinking. I give a what sounds like a quick bark.  
"Yes."  
Stan understands that I mean 'yes', in this case meaning that con chair is someone we can trust so 'go ahead.' The chairman puzzles at why I would bark at that moment. He has also picked up that Stan has gotten something from me by this. Stan kept going,  
"We are going to show you something that has to be kept secret for the whole con. You must not reveal this to anyone." The chair agrees:  
"I promise that I will tell nobody your secret." I sense his truth, and bark another yes.  
Stan confides:  
"What we are going to show you is not a trick."

With this I stand up and make show of removing the leash from my collar.  
"I am not a fox from this world!"  
I smile. My tail is swaying lightly. The chairman freezes, his face gets red, and eyes are open wide, but he recovers quickly.  
"Hi, I'm Freddy Pelle."  
I hold out my paw to shake. I describe some of my world, how I got here, and our goal to host an event at con.  
"I have a prepaid basic membership but am unable to claim it for obvious reasons, Could you get it to me?"  
The chair calls someone on his radio who shortly brings my badge and a book to sign. I lie low until that human leaves. The chairman is fascinated when I sigh my name in the indicated space.  
He asks:  
"I am supposed to check your I.D. Do you...?" I remove the wallet from a pocket in my shorts, and proudly present it to him.  
Looking between the picture on it and me,  
"Wow!" is all he can manage. He signs off on the registration and returns my card. On a whim, I pull out a twenty Zoolar note before putting my wallet away.  
"Here, take this for a souvenir. They are worthless to me anyway."

He brightens at the gift and asks,  
"Is it OK if I take your photograph?" "Sure, just don't show it to anyone."  
"Thanks! ...could you hold the money up like this?" He is holding a corner of the bill with each hand at about chest height. I stand and hold it up as asked. My badge is already clipped to my collar and visible. The photo is taken and he puts the Zoolar in his pocket. I am happy to have my con badge, and our media panel will go on as scheduled.  
"Is there any other staff you need to call in?"  
"No." "Call me if you need something, I will see to it personally." He gives us cards with his name and a phone number on it.

We spend the day wandering halls, seeing some panels, getting pet by other humans when I allow, photos taken. I do my best to behave like a service animal should.


	5. The panel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beware... bad jokes ahead.

We have the stage setup to look like ventriloquist act. Stan sits on a chair, with me on his lap. His hand is on my back, and we both have microphones. Greg is off stage managing our sound. Linda is in the audience, recording us. He begins:  
"Hi, I am Stan, and this is Freddy. Say hello Freddy." In vulpine I speak into my microphone:  
"Hi, I'm Freddy! Thank you for coming!".  
The audience laughs only hearing the silly fox trying to imitate human speech. That's good, the premise of our show is to convince them that it is just a trick.

But I am feeling something unexpected. The first part tells me: 'somebody understood.' It's a sharp spike of sensation that's different from any of the other humans with auras and coming from someone in this audience. From it I am getting confusion and familiarity?  
'How am I knowing this?'

We move on with the act as rehearsed. We started with a few lame jokes, Stan asking a question, me answering.  
"Where do you work Freddy?" "I'm working at a chicken farm. They might have to close. For some reason the chickens keep disappearing."  
Greg triggers a loud recorded belch, while Stan 'brushes' some feathers away from my muzzle with his free hand. There is an even mix of laughs and groans from the audience.  
"Isn't somebody investigating the missing chickens?" "They put me in charge of the case. I don't have any suspects yet."  
Another quieter belch plays, and more feathers are falling to the floor. We get more groans than laughs this time.  
"Enough! You try to write good fox jokes when you only have eight fingers!"  
My voice sounds indignant, but my face remains passive. Stan is holding up one of my front legs near the wrist and accusingly waggles that paw at the audience. There are more laughs.

"I hear that you can sing while I drink water. Could you show us Freddy?" "Stan! We talked about this. I am not stealing somebody else's act!"  
"Besides. Have you heard me sing? Not doing it!"  
Stan has been drinking water and acts surprised that I have refused. He puts down the glass and reaches into his coat.  
"What about this instead of water?" Stan holds an opened metal flask under my nose and I actually have to flinch at the smell of strong spirits.  
"Not even on a blind date Stan!"  
We get some disappointed 'Aaws' this time.  
"Hey! You can date me!" A guy wearing fake ears stands and yells.  
"I'm sorry, no. You're just not my species."  
He gets a good mix of hoots and laughs before sitting again.

I spot a child in the front row. I want to try something. I whisper to Stan:  
"The little blue dressed girl, front row, to the left."  
Stan points my paw in her direction.  
"How about you little girl? Come on up, you can be my date."  
She doesn't hesitate a bit and walks right up to me until we are almost nose to nose. I bridge the small gap with my long tongue sweeping up the side of her nose.  
"He licked me!" Suddenly red faced and shy, she lets out a happy squeal and runs back to her seat. She gets a rousing applause. Even I am blushing a bit.

I was speaking most of my parts, in common, or 'English' as humans call it while Greg is off stage working an audio delaying device so the sound they hear from me is out of sync with my lips. It enhanced the impression that this is a trick and the audience thinks someone else is talking my lines. Greg also has a microphone of his own that is not used. If by chance someone such as a stage crew member were to look, it would appear that Greg was doing my voice from there. There is a small light taped to my microphone where only I can see it so that I can tell when the delay is working. We end the performance with some questions and answers. Stan chooses a person by pointing at them with my paw. I break up my action by panting on purpose and keep acting dumb.

One last question directed to me:  
"Are you sure that this isn't a trick?" The questioner is feinting an indignant tone, and has his paws on his hips.  
My voice is heard, but I don't speak or move,  
"I assure you that it is not a trick. I really can talk."  
Greg has played a prerecorded clip of my voice from a list we prepared earlier. When it ends I mime talking as if I had just terribly missed my cue. My microphone is 'off' of course.  
'Yeah, they really believed I can talk after that.'  
The Con chair has been watching our show. He knew how real I was. Stan concludes the presentation.  
"Thanks for coming everybody. Say goodnight Freddy." I speak again in vulpine for all to hear, the delay is off, but deviate from the script,  
"I can feel you out there, and you know it!"  
Stan can tell that I changed something but doesn't understand what I just said. He calls me on it:  
"Come again Freddy?" "Goodnight everybody!"

I am picking up the 'first meeting freeze' sensation from 'him'. I have pushed too far. I 'feel' more for what is wrong, sensing fear, confusion, and reluctance.  
'Oh crackers! He's panicked!'  
I try to send comforting thoughts. I'm afraid to seek him out.

After leaving the panel, we wander the dealer's room a while. I sense 'him' near several times, I can tell that he was not actively looking for me, just passing close enough to feel his presence. His mood moves between fearful and curious. We are feeling the pull and it is growing stronger. I resist the urge to find him. I messed up the first move, now I must wait until he comes to me.  
'He is not ready.'  
I am still feeling that comfort thing. People all around me are radiating it. There are so many 'comforters' in this crowded room that I feel like I am swimming in honeysuckle.

Later, the con chair invites us into a vacant event room and closes the door. Linda and Greg are along. He understands that they are part of my secret circle. He is happy excited about something he wants to show us. After we sit down he pulls out a printed version of the photograph taken earlier.  
"I have shown this to nobody, … but... could you sign it for me? I want to frame it along with the money you gave me. It's called a "Zoolar", correct?" I sign the photo happily.  
"Yes, it's a 'Zoolar'."  
He puts it away carefully in a small folder he is carrying.  
"Your presentation was fun. I am getting rave reviews from those who were there. I would like it if you could come back and do something like it again next year. Maybe some day you can reveal who you are to the world. I would like to be there if you do. Thank you for bringing me into your circle." "Let's stay in touch."  
I pass him a card from the Myers' shop. He gives us some more of his cards in return.

...  
We have a sad trip home, not wanting to leave the experience and joys of that weekend. It's post-con depression and I have had it before. I bring up my thoughts:  
"All of the time we were there, I kept feeling something from so many of the humans that I walked past. It's comforting. I was the same sensation I get from you three when I am near. Maybe it's your aura? Not everybody there had it. Something happened to me while we were there, I think it's because they were so concentrated. I'm more sensitive to this sensation now. I think I can interpret what your auras mean."

I get very serious for what is next.  
"Then there was one human totally different. It seemed that he knows me, always has somehow. And I feel the same for him. He was in the audience at our panel. And he understood every word of vulpine I spoke. He understood! He knows that I know."  
"Do you remember at the end where I changed my line? I called him out!"  
"Why didn't you look for him?" "He panicked. He wasn't ready. Every one of you freaked out when you met me too, remember. I freaked when I first saw you and hurt myself. I may have hurt him."

'I miss him already and yet we've never met.'


	6. Abrahm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The character Abrahm Lion is used with his permission.

I have settled in to a routine, living with my new family, the Myers. Keeping busy was helping at the clinic and home, hiding in plain sight as their pet, and exploring their version of the Internet.  
Fortunately, it turns out Vlad's owner, Greg, was into electronics hacking as well as 'furry' and 'nerdy' table top games. He is able to make an interface the to connector on my phone before the battery died. Then he got my photos and other info out of it for me. The Furizon phone is still useless with the human networks. I keep it as a memento of home.

Instead I used the Myers' desktop computer in the lounge at hone.  
After the convention I looked up more of this 'furry' thing. The furry sites I found seemed friendly and familiar, so I joined one. There I had posted my home-world convention photo, identifying myself in it. I get positive comments about the realism and requests to do commissions. They thought it was an art work I created. We had worked out the 'vulpine dictionary & audio guide' and added it to my profile. The fans had a hoot with it, again thinking that it was a fantasy that I had created.

A few day later I find that someone has posted the comment:  
[My name is Abrahm and I am standing behind you]

I stared at the message. I had not identified any other mammals in it beyond myself. I knew Abrahm well enough and in the photo he was posing right behind me as indicated. This was an open forum so I ventured to ask something only he could know.  
{singed fur?}

I waited a while for the reply.  
[Yes]  
[Felt like you were hit by lightening?]

{Yes!}  
'OMG, this is the real thing!'  
I typed frantically and had to correct three times before getting it almost right  
{10 mon.hs}

He sent back:  
[2 m0mths]

{I'll gItttt bak tto you...} I'm shaking.

[K] 

That was all that I could get out, I started keening. I didn't care what I just mistyped. I cried out: "Home!"  
It was all I could think about now.  
'...someone from home...'

It was time for dinner when Linda found me there, hunched up in the chair. She immediately saw how upset I was.  
"What's wrong honey?" She rubs my back trying to get a reply. I waved a shaking paw at the screen and hid behind my knees again. She must have read back from where the cursor was flashing.  
She gasps.  
"Stan! You need to see this!" "There's someone else!" She says when he gets there. Stan reads the screen. "Are you sure?" He asks me. I muttered into my knees:  
"I never posted Abrahm's name..."  
Stan takes the keyboard. Since I won't look up, he narrating the words to me as he types.  
{This is a friend. Freddy is OK but needs time to recover}  
Stan reads the reply to us:  
[Hi. I am a friend to Abrahm. I understand. It looks like he feels the same way.]  
[Let's take this private when they are ready]  
Stan returns:  
{Tomorrow at this time?}  
He is still typing.  
"I sent them your phone #. It should be safe for a private chat" They had given me a 'burner' phone for emergency use. It's cheap and small and doesn't do much. I can't be seen using it in public anyway. It's large in my paws but I can still manage to use it.  
'I guess this counts as an emergency.'

She's petting my head now.  
"Can I get you something?" "Leave me. I have to work this out."  
"Get something from the refrigerator if you want." Her voice is very motherly. One of them turned the lights off when they left. I didn't eat that night.

They found me curled up in the chair the next morning. At least I was able to sleep. The computer screen was where we left it. There were some follow up messages on the board. Some humans asking me about the strange messages, others if we were OK. Stan pushes me to breakfast and switches off the monitor.

It's feels like a slow day at the clinic. There were things for me to do after customers came by and my chores. Stan had installed a privacy app on my phone, explaining that without, our communications could be monitored and recorded. He pawed it back to me.  
"Type a password that only you and Abrahm would know." I input and confirmed 'Alkali'.  
Stan had communicated the need for the app to Abrahm's friend. A meeting time of seven PM had been arranged, something about Abrahm sleeping after his night shift. We have a quick dinner and I run to the computer. With some time to go I read and answer some of the messages, my replies dismissing last night as unimportant. Stan and Linda are watching.  
I freeze when I see the message:  
[Hey that looks just like my Abrahm suit. Great artwork! Can I trade something for a signed copy?]  
There is a link to another profile. My paw is shaking again but I manage to click on it.  
His picture fills the center screen. In the image this Abrahm Lion is a human wearing his 'fursuit' equivalent of my friend, right down to the blue birthmarks on his cheeks. Posting dates indicate that he has been active years before my arrival.

My phone has been buzzing with calls and messages during the day. There are curious followers from the furry forum that I have ignored so far. It is the arranged time so I am checking every few minutes and waiting for Abrahm.

[Freddy, this is Abrahm, let's do this!]  
[This app wants a password]  
I text back:  
{convention photo, a row in front of me, name of ferret, not wearing his top hat}  
[Got it! ;) ]  
I explain to Linda and Stan while pointing at the particularly tall ferret in the photo.  
"He is a well known, loud, convention organizer, charity fund raiser, heavy drinking, comedic...",  
My phone dings the app connect sound.  
"popular, emcee, panelist, usually wearing a top hat."  
I hurry through the last part and hit accept.

[Freddy!]  
{Abrahm!}  
{So you got tired of our world and followed me here}  
[Yea, I really was missing a certain mangy fox ;P]  
"Harrumph! It was just that one summer!"  
{The catnip is better here! I'll send you some. (x)_(x) }  
I try to make a passed-out emoticon. I look up.  
"Do you have catnip here?"  
"Yes." [Touche!]  
"Yes! Freddy scores!"  
I look at the questioning faces of the Myers.  
"I'll explain later."  
{My 'owners' are here with me, watching}  
I quoted the word 'owners' on purpose.  
{How about you}  
[My 'caretakers' are watching too]  
{Did you see the other 'Abrahm' message}  
[That is scary real How would humans know]  
{We will need to find this other Abrahm I have been to a 'furry' convention, maybe we could meet him at one}  
I send a link to a recent 'panelist' schedule for 'Abrahm'.  
{He seems to be a regular}  
There is a long pause.  
[My caretakers say that they can't take a lion to a convention :( ]  
"He's right." Stan adds, frowning.  
[They are asking if your owners can bring you out to me]  
{I'm in Indianapolis}  
[Exotic Feline Rescue, western Indiana They say it's close]  
I look up. The Myers smile and nod.  
{That's a yes}

We negotiate a day to meet, it's when both businesses can close and keep our meeting private.  
Abrahm asks before we finish:  
[How did you get the photo out of your phone My battery died and they don't know what to do with the phone]  
{My owners know somebody who can fix that We got my phone charged and copied some things. I can't use it for anything because the networks are different. They gave me this phone to use instead. I have a special-made cable that we can try when I get there }  
{We can still communicate this way until then :) }  
{Bye}  
[Bye]

...  
Abrahm pulls me into desperate hug that has me off of my feet.  
He is wearing just shorts. He says he needs to blend in around the other cats. He leads me on a tour of the facility. The humans follow and marvel at us talking like old friends. Abrahm's main job is night watchman, keeping the park secure and the residents comfortable. He tells the story about why the 'rescue' exists. I can feel his sadness for them. I tell him about my experience with Vlad and other pets.

Seven of us relax in the office while we discuss some of the relevant history and differences in the two worlds, why he has 'caretakers' and I have 'owners'. His phone is revived and information taken out. I let him keep the cable. Greg has promised to make another for me. The circle that knows our secret is larger.  
Plans are made.  
With a hug both sad and happy I leave Abrahm to his life and am driven back to mine.


	7. More arrivals

Other mammals are coming forward, identifying themselves in the picture, and asking for help. It seems that my convention photo has become a rallying point for lost mammals.  
The messages always start like [I'm the bear next to ( name ) ] or [I'm the 20th rodent from the left] and a contact number. The humans following the forum thought this was a game and chimed in with their own versions of the plea. I had to be careful to screen requests, even asking further challenge questions in private. I did not know everybody's name in that picture.

Every genuine request that comes in is from a mammal in that convention picture. I didn't take it myself. I had pawed my phone to a friend while I posed. There would be dozens of other mammals possessing similar photos.

My profile blog is getting a lot of attention. From the comments posted by the humans, it seemed that many mammals had a human portraying them with eerily exact fur-suits. A couple of those humans were now here, united with their mammal doubles. The circle that knows our secret keeps getting larger.  
It wears on me that I have not met my 'person' yet.

There are so many mammals here now. With the help of the feline rescue, we establish a private compound for the larger mammals to live. We take over an unused building donated to them with the land across the road from the main rescue and renovate it for our needs. It becomes our meeting and living place. I am spending most of my time living there now.

We start organizing a list of mammals that found themselves in this world. The next abductee in this world after me was a mouse. She had taken longer to reach us than most others because her size had made using human computers nearly impossible. Her 'owners' had kept her safe and happy, and were sympathetic. They spent their time together helping her with the computer she couldn't operate. They were not computer or 'smart phone' people.

Some of the other tiny mammals fared better using phone keyboards that were only a little too large to be convenient. Others used voice to text translation software that usually printed the correct words. The mega-fauna species usually did hunt-and-peck with a stylus.

Somehow every lost mammal has ended up in the care of an understanding human, be it owner, farmer, caretaker, wrangler, keeper, trainer, agent, and so on.

Now that enough mammals and humans are here, I get to enjoy the table top games when I have time to sit in on occasion. A hippo was carrying his bag of games when he came over. They are fun but I can barely manage to lift one of his dice at a time. Instead I do what the shrews and mouse do. They have taken dice from a human size game. They walk across the game board to move their markers. I can usually reach. Some of the humans bring their own games and join in.

Humans bring in other supplies so that all can indulge in the hobbies other mammals prefer. We have books, movies, music, electronics, computers, toys for the pups, textiles, paints, paw and power tools, We make a game of adapting them for the different mammals.

Vlad stays at my side whenever Greg and the Myers are here. I introduce them all to the new mammals. Any canine could spot how Vlad was 'tamed'. I'd see them shiver when they made the connection. We didn't talk about it much.


	8. Judy and Nick are here

I was having trouble keeping up with the messages and requests for help, along with managing other needs in the compound. I feel responsible for their being here.

A large monitor high on the wall at one end of the great room shows the same image as the regular one on the table below, connected to our main computer. Several other mammals and humans were helping me watch of the forum. Somebody is always watching now. If a new mammal asks for help, they check the authenticity, and then get me to organize a retrieval team. We were able to adapt some keyboards and mice,  
'Heh, humans called them mice too,'  
for the smallest and largest of us. One shrew legal intern had donated the laptop she was carrying on 'that day'.

I was sitting at a break area table with several others debating theories on why we were transported to this world, our current situation, and how we will get home. The 'who is here' list when laid out on a time-line suggests that several mammals have not found us yet. More mammals will probably be abducted in the next month. We really need a 'what next' plan. So far nothing we have seems worth pursuing. The whole room was generally noisy.

A raised voice by the computers gasps.  
"It's Nick!" Another shouts.  
"And Judy!" The room is getting quiet. They have everyone's attention. We all have waited for this moment when our heroes arrive to save us.  
"Freddy! Over here now!" I leave the drink I was holding at the table and rush to the chair they just vacated for me.  
The screen reads:  
[This is Nick. Judy is with me. Freddy! What is going on]  
This was not a question. Nomammal had made any on-line reference to Judy or Nick before. I send a message to the included number.  
{This is Freddy. Do you have the privacy app ready?}  
[Yes. What is the password?]

I think about what would be the appropriate password. I made my choice, typed it in, then again to confirm it was correct. The whole room has gathered and is quiet now, watching me or the large screen. Anymammal who saw what I typed next gasps.  
{The password is: What is the mayor's full name, all lower case, no spaces, who shot night howlers}  
'It is a sacrilege to use that name the way I did. Parents used it to scare their children.'  
Although we all know the name, our group never speaks it.  
'I risked summoning her to this world. No human must ever know our shame.'  
'Were these our saviors calling me, the ones who fought the beast and triumphed? Here to rescue us now?'  
My thoughts rattled. Outwardly my pupils are tightly slitted, ears are down and I'm panting. My claws dig into the desktop.

The connect signal on the computer dinged four seconds later. There is cheering but I couldn't register it over the ringing in my ears.  
"I can't do this! Abrahm, take over!"  
I fall out of my chair and run into the male's room. I think it was one of the 'Nick' bunnies, the doctor, that came for me later. When he found me I was still leaning over a sink. I am guided into a darkened bunk-room willingly and watch posted.

...  
I am jostled.  
"Freddy?" I look up to Abrahm hovering over me. The room is still dim enough to not hurt my eyes. He helps me sit up. My body wants me to be up anyway. Scanning the room brings a calmed reality to me. Something I haven't felt for weeks. I smile back to him.  
"The doctor said you had a nervous breakdown last night. Let's get you fixed up. The Wilde- Hopps will be here in two hours. They have been asking about you all night." After pulling me out of the bunk, Abrahm drops a bundle of clothes into my paws and shoves me toward the showers. A quick shower and fresh clothes helps me wake up. I don't need it at the compound, but I keep my dog collar on the whole time. Having it tells me that I am 'safe' and 'loved'.  
In the kitchen Abrahm has led me to the table I sit down at. The Myers sit on either side of me. The table is my size but uncomfortably short for any of them. Nobody is trying to talk to me yet but food and drink slide before me.  
'They are going out of their way to be gentle to me.'  
I take my time eating. When I look around I see happy faces beaming back at me. The room seems happy. They are very quiet.  
'They are waiting for my guidance? I..., I have been holding this group together all by myself...'  
I drop the fork and look down at the plate frowning yet seeing nothing.  
'… and then I fell apart when they needed me.'  
I squeaked out a whine. The Myers were around me in an instant. I lean into their embrace.  
"I let you down! I let you down. I let you down..."  
my whimpering voice fading with each repetition. Linda soothes,  
"No dear, you just never took a break. We still need you to be strong. And help is on the way." It was true. I hadn't been eating regularly or sleeping much. I just couldn't let go even though help was all around me. When I can look up again, all in the room are still smiling my way.  
'They still want me.'  
I return an embarrassed smile. Breakfast is over. I am ready! I get up and march over to the computer desk.


	9. Meeting the Legends

"What has happened since I left last night?"  
After sitting down, I am informed by the watch that after my departure, Abrahm took over and told the Wilde-Hopps that I had just collapsed from stress. This was true in a sense so I left the story stand. They were on their way from Chicago with their human, expected here any minute. The Wilde-Hopps have been sent a summary of the case as we know it. No other Furthers had come forward since yesterday.  
While he is telling me this a donut is placed in my paw. I am three bites into it before I notice it there.  
"Thanks."  
is my response, looking around. Whoever brought it is already gone.

Judy and Nick are ushered before me, their human follows. I see that they are wearing dog-tags also. I stand and extend my paw to shake.  
"Hi, I'm Freddy Pelle, welcome to the compound!"  
Nick stiffens and salutes me instead. Judy had almost raised her paw to shake but seeing Nick's reaction, it quickly becomes her action and she salutes also.

I start to protest with:  
"I am not an officer..."  
before I realize what Nick has signaled by his gesture. He has just told me that I was still in charge. I was their leader and they would wait for my orders.  
"Oh..."  
'They will not take over like I had hoped they would. What sort of stories have the crew been telling the Wilde-Hopps about me last night?'  
I moved my paw to my forehead like I had seen on TV and completed the salute.  
"Sir!" They came back in unison and still waited.  
I become aware that the whole room is silent. My chest swelled with pride. Ending with that one word they made me their commander -everyone's commander, in less than two minutes.  
'I have been leading our group but didn't realize it.'  
"At ease?"  
I guessed. They relaxed and smiled back.  
"Freddy Pelle."  
I try again with my paw out for shaking.  
"Officer Judith Laverne Wilde-Hopps!" she lead.  
"Officer Nicholas Piberious Wilde-Hopps!" he followed. They are keeping it very formal. Judy starts,  
"I want to see the who, when, and where of the abductions. I know that there is a pattern to it." Judy has just told me what she is doing and made it look like my order. She waits. I smile at that.  
"This is Ben Jackson."  
I gesture to a rat who was waiting nearby on the computer table. Earlier he was working a computer. He saluted her with a big smile, Judy returned it.  
"He is your best mammal for our history and records."  
Judy salutes me again, I return it. She leaves to sit down with Ben and starts taking notes.

Nick is waiting his turn.  
"This is bigger than any of us. We need to seek out authorities we can trust, to find out who is doing this and stop them." He repeats what Judy just did, passing his orders for him to me.  
"These are my 'owners', Stan and Linda. They have supported me since this began. They know everybody involved so far, human and mammalkind."  
The salutes go around again before they take Nick to a table nearby.

I take a moment to greet and thank the Wilde-Hopps' owner, Oliver.  
"I've heard the Wilde-Hopps stories. How did you manage to keep those two in check?"  
His shoulders drop, all pretense of bravado gone.  
"I couldn't. I took them into my house and checked them for injury. They were unconscious at the time. Checking meant removing all of the clothing. A silly thing to dress up animals, right?" I flinch.  
'Hoo. Mistake number one.'  
"I figured that they were O.K. Then I confined them in separate rooms because I didn't want the fox attacking the rabbit." 'Mistake number two.'  
"So I'm thinking that I will check up on them in an hour or so. I had just sat down to watch the news when this terrible screaming racket starts in the bunny's room. I barely opened the door before this gray nightmare pounces on me, speaking what seemed odd curses and yelling for her clothes. I must have passed out right after that. Next thing I remember is waking up on the floor with two little animal police officers looming over me. How does a cute bunny get so menacing?" "You didn't call her cute, did you?"  
"Yeah, I said something like that." 'Mistake number three. The 'cute' word. Game over!'  
I notice some 'Oooos' from the surrounding crowd.  
"Cute." "It took her one second to start pointing out my mistake. Next thing I know, she has me backed into a corner, cowering in my own house." "Bunnies are supposed to be cute!" he interrupts his own story.  
"They are cute. Only other mammals aren't allowed to say it to them."  
I know several bunnies are listening to us. Probably including Judy. I won't apologize for speaking a truth.  
"But I heard Nick call her that?" he complains.  
"He is married to Judy. They're life mates."  
"I found that out later. Anyway, I didn't know their names at the time, and I think that I'm gonna die by devil bunny when the fox casually walks up to her and calms her down with just a hug. After that we were finally having a conversation. Once introductions were over, they were a little easier to work with." "We'll take them off of your paws if you want. Actually I suspect that they will be staying here anyway. Thanks for looking after them. You're welcome to join us."  
"Thanks. It's an interesting place you have. Maybe there's something I can help with. Let you know." He then follows Nick and the rest.  
'He probably wants to talk with Stan and Linda about their experience with ward mammals. He called this 'my place'.'

The remaining crew, human and mammal are watching me, waiting.  
"Senior staff meeting and reports in four hours."  
'It sounded like something I was supposed to say.'  
Still they waited.  
"Carry on."  
The whole room saluted me and was moving again.

'Did we even have a senior staff? I think I just appointed Ben and the Myers to it.'  
I needed time to think about what just changed for me. I sat down at my preferred computer. A soda was already there, my favorite brand, in a real glass, with ice, just the way I liked. Out of habit, I started reading my forum. I had my left elbow propped up on the desk with my paw partly open when unbidden, a donut appeared...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now, who can tell me about the reference made by the name: "Ben Jackson"?


	10. The First Official Staff Meeting

"What have we got?"  
The staff meeting begins. We have taken over an ordinary table out in the open room. I am seated at the head of the rectangular table. Ben, Judy and a few other persons are in chairs to my left. The Myers, Nick and others are on my right. I am happy with the group that has appointed itself as 'senior staff'.

Nick raises a paw and I nod.  
"We have contacted a former navy commander. He is sympathetic to our cause and is working with his former navy command. He is a 'fur' with an avatar of what humans call a 'Kitsuni', which is some kind of magic fox.." "Two of our own," Nick gestures to two humans down the table on his side,  
"are already part of the FBI and secret service." Two mice are on the table in front of the man and a standing ibex has her forelegs draped around the shoulders of the seated woman.  
"They will be working for us when they go home."  
Nick nods that he is done. "Judy?"  
"There is a pattern to the abductions. You were the first." "We..." gesturing to Nick,  
"had connected the abductions to the group we were in after the fourth disappearance. Because of our involvement in that group, were assigned to tracking down the remaining members when we were ...'transported' to this world, dazed and singed fur included." "Oh the humiliation, my poor tail!" Nick does an over-the-top dramatization of hugging and kissing his tail, Judy shoots him a dirty look. We chuckle. The fur in his tail does look sparse.  
"Our prediction is that there are three to eight lost mammals already here but not discovered, and nineteen to thirty more remain to arrive if it stays limited to those who are pictured. One event is expected today. Rescue teams are en-route to projected arrival sites. After interviewing other arrivals about the group photos we have compiled a list naming all 71 mammals who were present." "We don't know why this is happening." Judy is finished.

"Grrreat progress today. More than I hoped to see this soon. Do we have anything else?"  
"We do." It's Rita and Rita, the human and her petite wolf companion, at the other end of the table opposite me. It's our first joined team. No, not just a team, they are lovers. I think the term in this world is 'lesbian'. Shortly after they met each other, Rita, the wolf, has been styled and dyed to pass for a human's pet dog, and Rita, the human has changed her looks to be more wolf like. She is even wearing the same style collar and tag. Currently on the table in front of them is an unattached leash. I suspect that they take turns on each end. Neither is dominate. Their voices are so alike that I can't tell which one has spoken.

"We now have three united teams of Zootopian and human." They hug and rub heads as if to proudly proclaim their status. My teeth should be hurting at the sweet display. I am jealous of what they have. They get snickers and quiet laughs from us.  
"We want to find and unite the mammals that are here with their human companion." Nobody had stated this before but we all wanted to find 'our own self', once it was found to be real.

"Agrrreed. Organize a team to help you. Find me after lunch, I have some ideas for you."  
"Any more issues? No? Same time tomorrow. Now let's have lunch."  
On a whim I hold out my opened paw to my side. I feel a whiff of air as a donut plunks into it. I turn and barely glimpse a giggling weasel doe running away.

After lunch, the Ritas find me browsing an older part of the forum page.  
"Thanks for your help. Four things. First..."  
pointing at an entry,  
"Get with our Abrahm and bring this other self in. Promise this human the signed photo if you have to."  
Also, if you keep reading through this forum, you will find a lot of comments from humans that suggest where more pairings must exist."  
I am saying this to both of them equally. It feels like there is one person in front of me, that just exists in two physical bodies.  
I mention my experience with the human I felt at that convention.  
"Does that sound like what you two have?"  
"And last, make a list for tomorrow's meeting. Come up with terms and description for what this is," wagging paw at each of them, "between yourselves."

"That's it. Would you like a donut?"  
"Yes?" they answer together, wondering why I would ask such a question.  
I hold up my open paw and the donut appears. I yell a happy  
"Thank you!"  
to my 'wisp of donuts' that I'm sure I will not see. I offer Ritas the product of my 'donut magic'.  
'I hope that I am not abusing the services of my elusive friend.'

Later in the day I have settled in to my role. I have been given an 'official' desk now. I insist that it will stay out in the common room. It can go in a quiet corner, but I will not be hidden from anyone. When not reviewing the message board, I meet with individuals or small groups wanting to help, suggest things, or to request their assistance on a matter. I read a few reports offered, request more as well. I let it be known that all members that I do not know well should come by for proper introductions. I have been falling behind on who was here. There is a logistics department now and I even have a budget to approve.

One thing that stands out to me is that everybody now wants to have their own collar and tag. It is the symbol of our solidarity, the cause. It is fitting that a production kit is the first item I approve.

...  
In one of the introductions I find out that another fox in the compound is a language educator. She was one of the 'Judy' vixens. We arrange it so that from her Vlad is getting speech training, learning proper vulpine. He is only capable of learning basic words and concepts, it's the best he can do. At the same time, Greg, Stan, and Linda are learning it at an advanced level from the same instructor. Proper enunciation is their main problem. I sit in on the advanced session to help the instructor.  
I sit in on Vlad's sessions to encourage him. He wants to please me. This is helping me in an unexpected way. Vlad is a source of stability and simplicity that I still need, and I have become his role model. We are virtually brothers now.

...  
It's near the end of my day, about time to find a bunk.  
I look around me. There is no sign of the weasel. I have not seen her again since that one time. That is how she wants it. I sigh, look straight ahead and hold up my opened paw to one side. The donut is suddenly there. I hear the giggle this time but she is nowhere to be seen when I casually turn around. I call out a 'thank you' anyway then enjoy my snack.


	11. The Second Staff Meeting

We meet at the same table as yesterday.  
"Thanks for coming."  
Looking for where to start, I see it in her eyes.  
"Judy?"

"We did not find our anticipated abductee for yesterday. Two search teams are out again today. And... I have more to say but want to hold the rest 'til last." I stare at her for a moment. She no longer faces me, instead looks down at a briefcase before her. Judy's ears are down, I can hear her drumming foot. She is nervous.  
'Unusual for Judy.'

"O... K..."  
"Nick?"  
"We have several supporters now in key positions. Their discreet monitoring suggests that we have not been discovered yet. We are working on getting more outside help. I will go over the list with you after the meeting. That is all."

"Ritas?"  
"We have two more companion teams identified. One has been united...", We give them a soft applause.  
"and the other one seems to be yours. However, we feel that for your safety and his, we must keep you apart. He is a 'fur' but is unaware of our presence at this time. We will discuss him with you later. We are still working on the list you requested. That is all." This seems to end the other business for this meeting.  
"Anyone else?..."  
"OK Judy." She is standing in the chair, both paws on that briefcase.  
"This is serious. We need to continue our meeting in private. I have setup a room for us. That is all." "Right! We will meet there in forty minutes. Get a quick lunch, this meeting is over."  
My council stays seated and are grinning at me. I know what this is about. Nomammal in the compound will talk to me about it but I know that they are all in on the joke. I am sure that everybody else in the compound knows who she is.  
'Don't make me do this!'  
"Dismissed!"  
Still they stay seated.  
'They really are going to make me to do this. I bet that Nick set this rebellion up!'  
I hold out an open paw and receive a present from 'my giggling donut fairy'. With snorts from a few of my council, they finally leave the table. I stare at the donut in my paw and sigh.


	12. The secret meeting

We meet again in the room Judy setup. When Judy locks the door I can smell the tension rising. They are staring at me when I don't start the meeting, instead holding up an open paw for several seconds. It remains empty this time.  
"Security's good."  
The laughter is a bit forced but my gesture helps relax the group.

"Judy?"   
The briefcase is open before her.  
"We have identified an epicenter for the abductions, it is in Illinois." she is passing out a printed paper to each of us, checking the top corner of each as she goes. The top of mine says 'sample – Freddy only'  
"I will be collecting these copies before we leave and shredding them. Only this laptop..."  indicating the device in her open briefcase,  
"has the original. It and the printer have never been connected to a network nor used for any other purpose." This is way more than I was expecting. Everyone with mobile ears has them folded back, even Vlad.   
'Greg would have set this up.'

She narrates key parts to us:  
"To the President of the United States and the Director of Fermilab, Batavia, Illinois: You are receiving this because something at the indicated facility has caused harm to mammals as the included list indicates." Judy waits. We take the pause to read the list titled 'Confirmed dates and locations' Zip codes define the locations. Mine is first on the list. Followed by 'Non confirmed dates and locations' with a list of ten, including yesterday. I finish reading and nod for Judy to continue.  
"Please discontinue this activity until we can arrange a meeting. The following phone number will be active for one quarter hour only on...", she holds up a phone in a plastic bag. There is a gap in the line indicating a place for a date that has not been set. My name is printed at the bottom and there is a place for me to sign.  
"So if everyone agrees to this we pick a date and send them out. The next estimated abduction is in about two weeks" Judy collects our papers and closes them in her case.  
I stand on my chair to take a vote.  
"I ask for your decisions on this proposal."  
"Nays?..." silence.  
"Abstentions?..." silence. I smile.  
"Yeas?" All yeas with cheers.  
"Judy, bring the letters here tomorrow with whoever you need to finish this." To the room: "Tomorrows regular meeting time will be announced later. Get back to work. Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think you might find a running gag about now...


	13. The letters

Judy, Nick, Ben, Greg and Vlad are there with me. She opens the briefcase before removing a plastic bag to retrieve the finished letters She passes me a pair of gloves. I look around to see they all are wearing gloves. The table smells freshly wiped down.  
Judy:  
“We don't want them to trace this back to us.” After yesterdays private meeting ended we discussed the reasons and logistics of the letters. Three copies of each letter would be sent to each institution by next day certified mail. Each discreetly mailed from a different post office it the three states we were frequenting. This ensured that at least one letter reached the two destinations. The delivery verification notices went to two post boxes we controlled but have never used until now. One was a decoy, the other could be monitored by a postal employee on our team. The boxes would not be checked otherwise.  
The phone call would be received while we sit in an unremarkable van with tinted window, in an area of Indianapolis that couldn't be surrounded easily. The van we could abandon. We had another vehicle ready for escape if needed. An employee for state transportation maintenance department will watch cameras in the area, and a police officer could alert us if his department moved on us.

Knowing all of this, I plucked the letters out of her paw without using the gloves. I note the time and date chosen on the letter.  
“It won't matter what they find out about me. I don't exist in this world. They will detect 'fox' and think it is a joke. It's probably going to be less of a shock when they first see me if they are already prepared to see one.”  
I sign the line on each of eight copies not caring how much I touch them, then I pull out an ink pad from my pocket, and use it to apply a red paw print beside each signature.

This is an archaic Zootopian way of sighing legal documents. Done, I wipe the excess ink from my paw. There are some red smudges on the page edges. I look at a finished page a moment longer, satisfied that the ink has dried, then heavily scent-mark each one with my cheeks before returning them to Judy. Judy and Nick grin at the marking. Ben and Greg don't understand what I just did. Vlad is sniffing at the fresh fox spoor in the air. He understands that.  
Judy carefully folds six of the letters into the prepared mailers, then each goes into another envelope printed with the name and instructions for the six couriers, tossed them back in her case, then closed it. She removes her gloves.  
“The extra two letters we will keep.” Our meeting breaks up and we disperse into the main room.  
To the general office I shout:  
“Three days mammals! Cross your fingers. The call is in three days.”  
I feel small, tired, and have to rest now. But I am getting better with this leadership thing. Someone helps me find a bunk in the male dorm when I go in and retire early.

...  
I wake up the next day in my own time. Thankfully nothing required my involvement overnight. Vlad is in the bunk with me. He must have sensed my washed-out state and came to offer me comfort. He is sweet like that in his innocent way. I can understand why humans seek out 'companion animals'.

Not much happens for the next two days. For now it's some regular meetings, food, cleanliness, recreation, and enough sleep.

I seem to be getting the same bed each time. I suspect that the dormitory managers have unofficially reserved this bunk for me. It appears to be better tended than the others, and somewhat isolated in a corner. Nobody else was ever in it no matter what odd hours I would show up. No others' scents are there. After the first official meeting, they wanted me to take a private room for myself. I would not have it, and scolded them for suggesting it. I conclude that instead of the private room, they were steering me to this one bed, since most times I am too tired to notice or care. There is probably some guilt feelings involved in their actions -they stood by while l ran myself down. I will let them have this victory as long as it harms no others.


	14. The President calls

We are hiding in plain sight, the rented van with dark window tinting parked at a major retail store. Our surveillance teams have checked in and are ready. Nick and Greg are in the front seat have them on-line. Judy sits with nick. Our post office agent confirmed the arrival of the three expected delivery receipts. An FBI agent stopped by later that same day asking about the owner of that box. Obviously he got nothing. His showing up served to confirm that our message was read and taken seriously.

At five minutes before ten, Judy holds the bag with the phone in it open for me. At three minutes to go I switch it on, confirm good battery and signal, it is on speaker, and set to record to the SD card. I give a thumbs up.

At ten it rings.  
“Freddy?” The president and the director introduce themselves.  
“Good morning sirs. My people are listening to this call, I am sure your's are too. Let's keep this short. We are doing this because mammals from my world are being harmed.” We hear murmuring from his end. “I was the first one. You have that date from the list. Please stop whatever you are doing until we can meet. Publicly announce a diplomatic meeting in Indianapolis. We will arrive at the time you announce. Watch the public White house Email for our photogrrraph. The message title will be 'For both of our worlds'. It is important that everyone pictured stays together...”  
I choke,  
“Especially the pets.”  
It is agreed. I end the call.  
I switch the phone off, pop the SD card for Judy, wrap the phone in metal foil, and drop it into a metal box. This was Greg's idea.  
I curl up with Linda. I need to feel safe again.

“We are going to meet the president!” Nick exclaims. His brash voice has everyone looking his way.  
The grin starts growing on Nick's face. Judy sees what is coming, tries to stop it.  
She whispers:  
“Nick! Niiiik! Don't say it!”, but realizes that she is too late. Nick is glowing with 'smug' now and lets the Myers have it with both barrels.  
“Take me to your leader!” Judy groans and slaps a paw over her face. We all groan.  
After that terrible performance has passed, Nick confirms with monitor teams that we are still safe.  
Greg drives us away as slowly as his nerves will allow. Vlad is in his lap trying to comfort his master.  
We leave the van at a long term airport parking lot and transfer to a waiting car. Somebody else can pick up the van later if all goes well. We stay at the Myers' house until the meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nick's sense of humour is just too much sometimes.


	15. The Big Meeting

The prepared photo is sent. In it Stan, Linda, and Greg are standing. In front of them are me, Judy, and Nick. We are properly dressed but doing our best to appear like 'dumb animals'. Vlad is there with us just being himself.  
Later that day a special presidential meeting is announced, he will be seeing three diplomats from a foreign power. That is our signal. It happens tomorrow at a time and place given. As expected, they were only counting the humans.

Greg is driving his car, Stan sits beside him. Linda sits in the back seat. Us 'animals' lay low on the back seat. A normal presidential visit always brings out of the throngs of fans and the kooks out of the woodwork. We can't just drive up. Instead our police officer agent 'finds' us. He radios this in and is ordered to escort us to the building. At the gate security checks against the photo. He checks again after seeing us hiding in the back seat. When he is satisfied, the gate is closed, we get parked, unloaded, and screened. The secret service agents are amused at our Zootopian I.D.s and money. They walk us in.

I am on all four paws 'running point', Stan holding my lead. Beside me is Vlad on Greg's lead. Linda is carrying Judy and Nick to spare them some humiliation.  
I see several cameras on us.  
'Good.'  
Upon entering the meeting room, the president walks to meet us halfway. I guess that is director standing to to his side.  
I sit on my haunches, Vlad follows suite. Vlad has taken to following my actions. When I'm with him he has someone to focus on.

Linda puts Judy and Nick down, unleashed, and they move to flank me, still playing dumb animals. The president glances down when he sees their movement and is amused by my clothes and those two in their police uniforms. Sensing the leader near, he holds out his hand to Stan.  
"Freddy?"

I stand up, extend my paw to him, speaking brightly,  
"Mister president, sir!"  
My tail won't stop swaying. Judy and Nick have risen to two paws and assumed the 'at attention' pose. My voice drew his attention to me and that is when he stopped. I have seen this 'first meeting' look on a few humans now. I smell confusion, but not fear. Still, he has frozen. I have to get him started.  
"Sir!"  
I beam up to him and move my extended paw a bit. He connects me to the voice from the phone call. My name tag confirms it. Once we are shaking paws I can smell his relief.

"I am from a city called Zootopia. It's in another world."  
I point to the others.  
"This is Vlad and his owner Grrreg, they are locals. Behind me are ZPD officers Judy and Nick Wilde-Hopps. Stan and Linda Myers, also locals, rescued me when I was first brought to this world. Whatever dragged us here against our will caused great injury. That is why we had to see you. I'm sure that you understand our wanting secrecy."  
I unhook my leash and hold the end up before me, pointing to the clip.  
"This act you just saw helps me to get around unnoticed."  
I move aside, so he can extend his greetings to the others  
We all are wearing the tags. He greets and shakes paws with everymammal, starting with Judy and Nick. He repeats their names as he goes.

"Grrreg?" "It's Greg sir. Freddy either has a speech impediment or it is some joke." Under Greg's glare I look away, unable to suppress a gekkering laugh.

He finishes with our last fox, bending down low.  
"Vlad. ...Vlad?" He offers his hand to Vlad who just looks back. Greg pipes up,  
"I'm sorry sir, Vlad never learned that trick." The President is disappointed, still looking at Vlad.  
"Oh, right. Freddy said you were local."

"Vlad! Paw! Up!"  
I command.  
"Shake?"  
Vlad has spoken as he raises a front paw and gets to shake with the president. Eyebrows are up all around the room. Looking at me.  
"We've been working with him. Oh, Sorry. We've been working with him."  
I am proud for Vlad.  
'He is getting it.'

It should be noted why I mispronounce the name 'Greg' as 'Grrreg'. It's an affliction, best described as a nervous 'tic', a possible primitive fox holdover. It happens to me while speaking any word that resembles a growl. I am embarrassed by it. Whenever possible, I played it off as deliberate teasing to hide why I do it.

We are introduced to the Fermilabs director and taken to a meeting table. Some adjustments of extra cushions on the chairs are needed for us shorter mammals. Even Vlad has his own chair next to Greg. We are provided with drinks and other minor pleasantries.

Because this is the first official meeting of representatives of the two worlds, this really is a diplomatic meeting. We brought 'the laptop' with us, now re-purposed for our presentation. We show them to the WEB site and explain how it got our group back together. This is an outline our history on this world.  
We take turns explaining our problems and theories, the connection to Fermilabs, and the compound's purpose.

After a while Vlad gets fidgety, it's a signal to Greg.  
"You wanna go walkies?" Vlad and I both jump to the ready. I sit down again and rub my neck sheepishly. The inside of my ears must be tinted pink.  
"It's become kind of a habit..."  
We all take a break.

...  
After that the president is leaving for the capitol. We have changed his plans drastically. There is much that he has to do and setup because we will be introduced to the world tomorrow. We are left to work out technical things with his staff and the Fermilab director. News is carefully leaked out. Security people are sent out to watch the compound and a few other places we maintain in other states.

We are given a presidential suite at a hotel nearby and will stay the night. We finish our negotiations there. Secret service oversees everything. Other agents have been dispatch and are on their way to assist locating the few mammals we have not been able to find. The review of Fermilabs' records give them a fair idea of where to look. They take a pair of Furth mammals along in each vehicle. If they show up at someone's door and that human doesn't freeze, then they have found someone who knows our mammal.

Two humans from room service bring lunch, and the best food I have ever had is brought in. Some of it must be turned away. I'm sure the chef meant well. Seeing this would be worse for the Wilde-Hopps, particularly if they saw one of the labeled dishes said 'rabbit'. I can barely contain my own revulsion.

After one server pushes the cart with the rejected foods out to the hall, leaving the other server to setup inside, I talk to him. Our door is still open. I point to that dish and then to Judy.  
"That is my friend. Sure, I'm a fox, I still need to eat meat. But my people don't eat each other anymore, Bird, fish, and insect meats are still acceptable for us carnivores. Milk based foods are accepted by all of us. You are not in trouble. Ask the chef if I could meet him here to discuss dinner and breakfast options. Tell him what I have told you and who we are so that he doesn't accidentally mention this food."

That afternoon I conference called with one of the WEB site managers to warn about what was coming.  
"Did you hear about the diplomatic meeting the president had today?"  
"We heard it happened. I didn't really follow what it was about." "Well... I'm it. Find my blog on your site."  
I send him the link using the chat window we have open on the laptop.  
"Lookin' at it now." "The picture you see? That's me and my people, It's not a Photoshop fabrication."  
"Come on! I see this every day here!" "Sure, I understand. Listen to 'The Vulpine speech guide' You recognize my voice there?"  
I can hear the introduction playing through the phone.  
"Yes, it's your voice. That doesn't prove anything." I expected that.  
"Look at the video I just sent you. It's part of the same recording, now you can see the face that goes with it."  
I hear the video playing this time.  
"You spent a lot of time on this. Good work." The tone is mocking. I have to change my tactic.  
"Look, I'm in Indianapolis tonight. Do you have a trusted friend nearby that I can meet?'  
"Yes... two." "OK. Someone will pick them up Tell them to wait for the secret service agents. I can't fake them."  
"You're serious." "OK, I just sent you how to find them. I am calling them first. " "Thats good, thank you. I will have them call you after we meet."  
The call ends.  
'I need a better phone.'

The agents lead his friends in to our suite. It doesn't take long to convince them. One provides his phone and uses a video chat.

"So the rumors are true. I'm sorry that I doubted you." "Don't fret. It has happened every first time I meet a human."  
"So... You said that I need to know about something happening to the WEB site?" "Tomorrow I will be in Washington, DC, and introduced to the world. That alone is going to be it's own problem. Then, they, the world, will find you. Can you imagine what it will do to your server? Keep it quiet for a few more hours and we will get you through it. They tell me that they have experts here that can help you prepare for this. They will be calling after we are done. Good luck, Thanks for allowing me to use your system. I will make it up to you."  
"Thanks Freddy, goodbye." I turn to his friends with my best toothy grin when the call is ended.  
"Would you like to be my guests at the press conference?"

I am coached for my part in the press conference. Their trial questions are not made up: my coaches really want to know what they ask and take notes. Meanwhile, the rest of my crew are calling others of our inside circle, letting them know what is coming. People will find them. Security has already joined the larger fragments. When I have had enough, the others get some coaching as well. They may have to speak.  
For dinner I overeat on purpose. It's the only way I will be able to sleep tonight.

...  
The next morning I am pleased to find that Abrahm and a few other mammals have joined us at the airport for the trip. There is some effort to represent a size cross section of Zootopia mammals and their companions. We board the other presidential airplane, usually called 'Air-force two' Nick calls it 'Fur-force two' as a joke. We chant it among ourselves. The attendants start using it, I understand that the flight crew and escort jets did the same.  
I get more coaching for the conference in flight.

...  
Our group is seated behind the podium. We are in full view of our audience. We remain still to minimize alarm. We will no longer hide our true nature. With me are companion team representing the five fauna sizes. The humans hold the smaller mammals, the larger mammals hold their humans. I sit by myself in the central seat.

President finishes his introduction and calls me forward.  
I am listening to the background noise of the room as president waves me forward, I've played this game many times. I lose a few just by getting to the podium. There is a ladder there for me. The president stands at my side and watches. It is arranged so that it will be perceived that we are of equal stature.  
"Humans of Earth..."  
'That just lost about two thirds of the audience.'  
The murmur dies out quickly, very few cameras click now.  
'This is being televised, maybe it's only this bad in person.'  
I wait for the recovery to begin. The murmur from before is replaced by a rising din. Cameras are clicking again.  
"And mammals of Furth..."  
I have lost the remain third and a percentage of the others have relapsed.  
'Just a moment longer.'  
"We are no longer alone in the universe!'  
I go on to explain our place in it.

The WEB site was changed to only allow access for existing members. They are still overloaded a few times. Similar things happen to other 'fur' sites, Fermilabs, and .gov sites. The experts had done their best to prepare them all on short notice. My phone became useless. I get a replacement with a private number that is screened by an answering service, before I get the call.

The doctors get their turn with us. The human companions and guardians are checked as well.  
While sitting in the clinic between sessions, I am remembering a certain wolf and his badger girlfriend that I once met at a convention panel. He was paranoid and twitchy, always going on about conspiracies, aliens, strange creatures, and abductions. Then how his head would explode when our world finds out about this earth and us. I am almost tempted to have them call for him specifically when we establish the first radio contact.

After the initial flurry of our existence has died down, the Furth mammals, companions, and guardians are invited to a state function. We are to meet with the 'shakers and movers' of the human world. It is to be our débutante ball with food and drink, cultured music, and awards. One can always identify the humans of our group by the collars and tags we proudly wear. The Myers and other guardians receive commendations and medals during a meeting with the president.


	16. ZooTopian phone home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now it's time for some of that hokey science explanation.

The experiment that brought me here has been halted.  
In a small auditorium, a few humans gather at Fermilabs to show me the new experiment they have set up. Lab coats are worn by everyone but me and the director. Two of them are sitting in rolling office chairs at a table to my right using laptop computers to monitor their systems while they tweak and increase power. They wear headsets and sometimes speak with others in the main control room. On the wall in front of me there is a large projection screen showing a patch of sky. They explain that it connects to a camera with a telescope pointing to the target area. The target area was chosen to be high above anything that could accidentally move into it. Directional radio antennas point there as well. It is intended that radio signals will not be going off into space but instead bouncing off of the ozone layers and through this portal they are going to create and into my world. Between where I am standing and the monitor is another table, with two technicians seated on rolling chairs, listening to some radios as they scan for signals. The director gets a signal from the right and tells me that it is running. At that moment a white glowing ball appears on the patch of sky the monitor shows. The two at the radios say no change. The other techs poke at their stuff some more. The sphere flickers and this time the radios react.  
“That's it, hold there!” They tune their radios and stop on several of the transmissions they pick up, to listen. Many are in common. Those could be from here or from my world. Occasionally they stop on some that I can identify as species specific languages I don't understand, but are definitely home-world contacts. They keep going. I call out the probable source world when I can determine it.  
“Home-world. Home-world. I can't tell. Home-world. Can't tell. Can't tell. I can't tell.”  
“That one! It's from my world. I understand them.”  
“... a three humped camel? Pregnant! Haa haaa haah haah ha.” 'Oh crackers! That joke is still going around?'  
“Can I speak to them?“  
One human paws me a microphone and adjusts his radio.  
“Hold this button down and talk. Say 'over' , then release the button when you are done talking. Don't be rude, try to step in only when they are done conversing.”

'What do I say? Well, I have to get someone's attention first. Find out where they are. Locate someone that I know. I've been missing for a year and a half. Would anybody remember me? But these are foxes. To them I am somebody.'

I hear the break I have been waiting for.  
“Hi, this is Freddy. May I ask who is talking? Over.”  
“Ben here, KB8PYQ. Can't say that I've heard you on this frequency before. Over.” “Heh! First time. May I ask your general location?”  
“OVER!”  
“Foxburough, out in the Meadows. You sound familiar? Over.” “Uncle Redpaw? Over.”  
“Freddy! Where are you? Are you OK? What happened? Are the others with you?” I tell the crowd at the center:  
“He knows me, it's my uncle!”  
“o..... o..... Over!” “I'm fine! We're fine... safe, and accounted for! Tell mom and dad. Uhh... for the rest there's a big story. You probably should get sheriff Taylor. Over.”  
“It will take a bit a time, can you wait? Over.” “I think so. I miss you. ...love you!” Over.”  
“Miss you too. Stand by. I love you! Over and out.” I can hear an emotional warble in his voice. It's not talking code, but vulpine limits the number of mammals who can understand us.

“He's calling the sheriff. It will take some time. How long can you keep this thing running?”  
I glance at the glowing ball on the big screen that represents this reality.  
“We're barely running above warn up. There is no time limit.” “Can they see that in my world?”  
I point to the ball in the center of the big screen.  
“It should be visible if they know where to look. Unlikely now, but once the sun goes down, everybody will see it.”

Since I have some time, I pull out my old cell phone and poke around in the pictures. I locate my uncle's and show it around. When one of the Fermilabs techs gets the phone, he swipes to the status screen. Obviously frowning at the 'no signal' status.  
“Yeah, I tried that. Your world's system is incompatible. And I haven't been able to pay my Furizon bill in over a year either.”  
He turns to his partner after pawing back my phone. I can't follow what they are saying but they are excited about it. I can only pick out some words about towers, angles, power levels, quantum something, and probability. What it had to do with my phone I can't fathom. Then I see the mouse on their table, previously hidden behind the woman. She is wearing a white coat just like the humans.

“Oh, Zoey! Sorry, I didn't see you or recognize your companion.”  
I had only met this human once when they were first united, just before the day the Wilde-Hopps came to us.

This project started as the human male's doctoral thesis. He was researching the radio phenomenon called 'whistlers'. This had long been associated with atmospheric lightening and just thought to be part of the noise in a strike's electrical discharge. Then more recently, someone found that the whistlers contained more than random noise. So this research evolved into his Fermilabs experiment that was attempting to create a lightening like energy effect without the high noise figure. He was getting good results.  
And they were also getting us mammals at the same time.  
It seems that both Zoeys were independently proposing something like this to start their own doctoral theses. Now that all three are working together, and with their combined efforts, the problems were found, the experiment refined, and the stable portal that we are using now gets created.

I am approached by someone who has been recording me during the radio encounter. He asks me for a translation, explaining:  
“This is a historic event. Our first contact with another world.” I hadn't considered that. I just saw this as a way to go home. I help him with his project while waiting to hear my uncle's voice again.

A few other mammals in my world have heard and understood our radio conversation. Probably some of my uncle's friends. I try not to listen to the questions they ask me. From the increased chatter, I can guess that news is already spreading. If they spoke vulpine then they would already know recent fox related news. Fox and bunny species were heavily represented in our group.  
When my uncle comes back he tells them to back down. Mom and dad are there to fawn over me first.  
We switch to conversing in standard for the sheriff's benefit. He has questions.  
“Yes, I am safe. Over.”  
”The other missing mammals are with me. Everymammal is safe. Over.”  
“Yes. I have a list of their names with me. Over.” When he asks, I read the list for him.  
“Yes. Over.”  
“Some may not have found their way to us yet. Over.”  
“We were scattered over several states. Over.”  
“You can't find us because we are in a different world. Over.”  
“We can't get to you. You can't get to us. Over.”  
“There were problems with the system. It hurt us when we transferred. Over.”  
“No, I already told you. Everymammal is safe. Over.”

He's been repeating some questions, tactfully rephrased. No doubt testing my honesty. Beyond the sheriff, I can hear others talking. The deputy and my parents I presume. A phone rings too. The sheriff continues with his questions and I reply.  
“Yes. Over.”  
“Yes. Over.”  
“Yes. Over.”  
“Yes - what?” I glance at my bare hind foot. “Fifteen centimeters. Over.”  
“Yes. Over.”  
“Yes. Over.”  
“No, of course not. Over.”  
“They didn't know we got pulled here. It was accidental. Over.”  
“It looks just like your world. The same continents and oceans. Cities are almost the same. Even names of things are similar. Over.”  
“It's still a whole different world. Over.”  
“They have created a stable portal. It connects our two worlds. That is how we are communicating now. Over.”  
“That is why the radio signal is so strong. Over.”  
“I can't explain how it works. It's some science thingy. Over.”  
“No, they stopped it. No more mammals will disappear. Over.”  
“Who is helping me? The humans. Over.”  
“They are mammals like us who look something like a ...Sasquatch? Over.”

'I knew it!'  
I get a lot of blow-back when I say that. I am already testing their limit on credibility. Sure, I'm known for a few pranks. But never anything on this scale.

“It will be getting dark soon, look to the sky north of Zootopia. You will see a glowing ball. Over.”  
“It's just me, Zoey, and some humans right now. The others are living at a place we have, but it's out of town. Over”  
“I'll get her. Over.”

I turn around and see the Zoeys are already behind me. Most of the mammals in the room have been listening. I paw the microphone back to the tech who gave it to me and step aside. He puts it into a stand and angles it down to the mouse Zoey who now stands on the table. He operates the transmit button for her turns talking. She tells sheriff Taylor very specific things about her abduction, such as her clothes, who she last spoke with, where she was going, and the approximate time when it happened. She also confirms everything I have said and added some other details.

They have my list of mammals. While we talked, deputy Fife was at his laptop checking on the case with the list I provided. It seems that the last one who was abducted about two weeks ago was not yet connected to us. I am taken seriously. They decide to end the project for the night. Mammals have seen the sphere near Zootopia. The sheriff needs to contact other law enforcement and our relatives. The scientists have something new to make ready. We will continue tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surely you've heard of Taylor and Fife?  
> There's a Monty Python bit in there too.


	17. Getting There is the Real Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More of that science stuff.

The next evening other mammals have joined us at lab. They have requested that anymammal available with a functioning phone to come in.  
Our tech trio have put together a plan for using our phones. With the radios that they used yesterday, they have coordinated this procedure with mammals in my world. It is evening, dark enough for the portal sphere to be visible. While someone in both worlds is monitoring it's position and keeping it clear of aircraft and curious flying mammals, they move the portal down next to a nearby cell tower that exists in my world. In the lee of the tower it is relatively safe from collision. In this world there is no corresponding tower. The portal is visible outside the Fermilabs building we occupy and is also showing on the monitor, the camera having been adjusted to the new portal location. There are occasional flashes from the sphere. A tech explains:  
"That's likely caused by light attracted insects hitting the portal. From the outside it seems to behave like a bug zapper." Once the portal has stopped it's decent our phones are getting signal!  
Judy has a phone with service. She uses it to Muzzletime with Bogo. She introduced me and some of the humans. Some quick work by an Officer Clawhauser gets service paid up on other phones and soon the rest of us are calling our families. The Fermilabs director borrows a phone and contacts his Furmilabs counterpart. They begin making plans.

...  
It's several days later.  
Today is the big day. Before the main event the Zoeys show me to a special metal cabinet in a computer room. The mouse speaks for them.  
"This is the network router that connects to our world. We have another one just like it there. We now have a permanent link between worlds with them." The human Zoey opens the blue metal door that is it's front. High and low are boxes with blinking lights, wires, and gauges, some have dials. Fans and other things are making noise. Something smells a little overheated. A lot of it looks scratch built.

My tail twitches. I want to play with things.  
The human Zoey taps at a sign taped to the inside of the door. It reads: 

ACHTUNG!  
ALLES TURISTEN UND NONTEKNISCHEN LOOKENPEEPERS!  
DAS KOMPUTERMASCHINE IST NICHT FÜR DER GEFINGERPOKEN UND MITTENGRABEN! ODERWISE  
IST EASY TO SCHNAPPEN DER SPRINGENWERK, BLOWENFUSEN UND POPPENCORKEN MIT SPITZENSPARKEN.  
IST NICHT FÜR GEWERKEN BEI DUMMKOPFEN. DER RUBBERNECKEN SIGHTSEEREN KEEPEN  
DAS COTTONPICKEN HÄNDER IN DAS POCKETS MUSS.  
ZO RELAXEN UND WATSCHEN DER BLINKENLICHTEN.

I'm crestfallen.  
'She knew.'  
I try to bluff that it was not going to happen like that and move on.  
"So, it's an experiment."  
"True. We did rush to get it built. There is nothing else like it."  
The fish bowl like container near the center draws my attention. Within it's center is a marble sized shivering sphere of electric light. Around the fish bowl are a number of evenly spaced, wire strewn cylinder like things that I can't identify for function, but since they all are angled to the center, I assume that they are there to maintain this tiny portal. While I watch, the marble meanders about within it's containment.  
"Why is it moving?"  
"It appears that there are small shifts in the alignment of our two worlds from time to time. The system compensates to maintain portal centering, but it will shut down if it can't keep the portal inside the operating zone at both ends. Gravity probably keeps our worlds synchronized."  
The marble dances for a few seconds.  
"That was probably a truck in the home world passing near the counterpart of this router. Standing this close you could probably make it move."  
She has practically asked me to try. Maybe she is giving me back the moment when my childlike impulse was denied earlier. I tap my foot heavily on the floor three times and sure enough, the marble of light bounces just a bit with every bump. I have to smile. This is a fun toy.  
"Geology research scientists are asking for access to this movement data. As you can see, it is very sensitive. We will start streaming it to them next week. That data is a serendipitous byproduct of our using this portal to communicate."  
"So our Internets are one now?"  
"Not quite. We don't have the bandwidth for that much traffic. It does allow us scientist to collaborate and enables the main transport system. Government officials and a few others use it on a priority 'as needed' basis."  
"Especially you."

Up until when Zoey said that, I hadn't thought about why I had my special privilege.  
'Was I that important?'  
There were no limits on my use of this service. I spent a great amount of it reporting on our situation, giving interviews, arranging task groups. They must have liked my plain-spoken layman's explanation of things because mammals keep asking for me. And I was looking out for our group as I always have. This time, advocating for the mammals whose lives were disrupted by their abduction. Rents, leases, mortgages, and child support were not getting paid. My meager apartment and all of my stuff within would be history after a year and a half. Most of the other mammals had restricted times when they could use the network. Those were off-peak demand times. We have been using it to stay in touch with family and friends. The Wilde-Hopps have been catching up on their reports on the missing mammals case or muzzle-time chatting with family in the evening for instance.

"We are working on an improved version for broader access." "So the special '.port' accounts you gave us are going through this?"  
"Yes." "And then our cell phones quit working right after that?"  
"Yes. The cell tower portal was a temporary hack at it's best. There was an intolerable amount of radio interference while we used it. It was also dangerous to keep an active portal exposed that close to the ground. Now we have this. It is low power, self contained, and shielded. This also frees the big machines for the transport." The human Zoey closes the cabinet.  
We walk to a gathering outside of the main building.

...  
It is my understanding that for a few days they have been testing the transport system and tuning it for the best performance. They started with inanimate objects, moved up to plants, then to birds. It is working for both directions. It's time to make the first mammal's return trip to Furth and I have been chosen. Several of us had volunteered to do this.

We walk up to the target area outside the building where a glowing ball hangs about a meter above the ground. A circle of rotating red beacons on short poles is surrounding it. There is a quiet audience to one side, some of it is obviously press. Some are the mammals who will follow after my trip through the portal.  
The Zoeys start directing the event. The mouse hops down to a table to manage some equipment, while the human announces. She has the stronger voice.  
"Stay outside of the target circle until I ask you to proceed. That sphere is there to maintain targeting calibration of the system. You don't want to touch it." The sphere disappears, the beacon lights go off.  
"OK, can you stand in the center of the target area?" I walk to the center indicated. The concrete pad I stand on has been painted with a red and white bullseye target pattern.  
'That's not helping me feel confident.'  
Next to where I stand I notice a burned spot. It gets my hackles up. I scowl and point.  
"WHAT is this?"  
"Don't worry, that's not from the transport. Somebody dropped their phone there yesterday and the battery exploded." "Hey! Somebody clean that up when we are finished!" She turns back to me.  
"When you transport, prepare for a drop. The portal will pull anything not tied down to it's center before releasing it on the other side. An animal your size should get lifted about twenty centimeters. This is good, because it prevents loss of outlying parts of an object." She didn't say it outright but the prospect of a 'parts loss' is unnerving. I instinctively pull my tail close.  
"We are ready! You?" "...ready."  
The beacons are going again, this time accompanied by the sound of a klaxon. The noise reminds me about how the last time I traveled through one of these portals really hurt. My confidence diminishes further and I curl inward a bit more. I am prepared for a big swatting.

I am surrounded in a swirling opaque white-purple sphere where the only sounds are a gentle buzz and my breathing. Even the smell of ozone is slight. I feel like I'm floating, not touching anything.

The sphere vanishes and the klaxon noise returns. I drop to the ground. I must have pivoted during the trip because I am way off balance, falling forward to four paws. The klaxon stops only to be replaced by cheers. I hardly notice it while I stand up assessing that I am all there.  
"..freDDY!!!"  Mom and dad pounce on me before I could look up, quickly pulling me into a tight hug and scent marking like they expect to lose me again. I let out a happy gekker that they return.  
"I missed you!"  
"Welcome home son!"

I pull back from the hug a bit but don't let go. Others are are walking up to us. Some are wearing lab coats.  
'That's the mayor! And that would be Chief Bogo.'  
After answering a few questions that the technicians have for me about my trip, I can talk with the dignitaries. My parents and I are willing to let go now but they don't move away from my sides.  
"Welcome back lad." Bogo shakes my paw first, then moves right to my dad's side.  
"Welcome back. If you would, there are mammals waiting to meet you." The mayor shakes my paw, moves to my mother's side and directs the five of us forward, to the crowd waiting outside of the circle. Everything inside the ring of light poles looks the same as the human world. Outside it everything is different. I can only stare as many are news mammals taking our pictures. The mayor sees this and takes pity on me. She can see how they want to barrage me with questions. Many are staring at the collar and tag I wear. Even my father has been poking at it. She picks up the waiting microphone.  
"No questions at this time. I think Freddy needs to rest a bit. I will announce a press conference for later today." 'After all, I am her political prize, one she will not release very soon.'  
"However, could you give us a statement for now?" she then directs the microphone to me.  
"By and large, this was a much better portal experience than my first. I had a wonderful vacation over there, but I am so glad to be home."  
They are joyous to have their sound bite. This will have to do. I did not prepare for this sort of publicity and wouldn't know what else to do.

A mammal in a lab coat directs our attention back to the transport space. We watch as it activates again, this time Judy and Nick are dropped out when the sphere vanishes. Their landing is just as clumsy as mine. When the beacons go off, Bogo marches up to the pair. They come to attention and salute him. He scowls.  
"Well, this should be good! I put you two in charge of a missing mammals case and you just vanish instead. No calls, no reports, no updates. And then you think that you can just appear out of thin air and expect a hero's welcome?" He salutes them and is suddenly smiling.  
"Well done Wilde-Hopps! Well done. At ease." Nick takes this in.  
"We did just appear out of thin air. Are you calling us heroes sir?" "That you are officers. And so is your friend. Congratulations." He is looking directly at me now.  
They walk out of the target area discussing reports, back pay, and promotions. Some of Judy and Nick's families join them. Much of the pawparazzi is chasing them as well.

The Zoeys arrive on the next transfer. The first known human in this world has the press' attention. Some of the audience mammals have frozen. There was significant publicity leading up to this day so there is less first contact shock. The Rita pair is next, then a few others follow, The mayor greets them all and invites them to her press conference. After some of our mammals travel to the human world the event is declared done for the day.

Uncle Redpaw joins us as the mayor leads me and my family off to her limousine. He shoulder butts me to the right and I return shoulder butt him left. Traditional fox tussling.  
'It's great to be home.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is an inside joke in this chapter for those who know me.


	18. Winding down

There were a few days of intense diplomacy that followed and soon after teams of researchers were visiting their complimentary worlds. A trickle of tourism is underway, adventurous souls willing to take on the unrefined portal system. It's proven completely safe if still a little buffeting. Even now after dozens of times through it I still stumble on landing. They promise that they are working on the problem.

A culture exchange is arranged. Many of the abducted mammals choose to stay in the human world a little longer now that they are free to wander. Pressure is on to change animal treatment and food production. There is no denying that although the animals look like us mammals, they just are not us.

It's four more months after our introduction to the human world before my other self comes forward. We agree to meet at the old compound. He is a 'fur' but has never used a 'fursuit'. His real name is not Freddy, but he calls himself that frequently and all of his friends know him as such. He presents me with a plush toy fox. I turn it about in paw to look it over. I have seen many versions of these toys in Zootopia and this world. It is somewhat generic and does not significantly resemble me, but from it or him I seem to feel something.  
'This one is me -no, it's us.'

He explains.  
"When I found this toy I saw it as the best representation of what I really felt I was. That was even before I had discovered what 'furry' was or met others with the same passion. All of my life really, I felt the 'pull' of this other me. That pull was you all along."  
He was looking down at the toy while saying this, the speech more to himself than me. He looks up to meet my eyes.  
'This Freddy is more than my brother, he is my soul. I am staring into my own soul.'

We reach out across the table with our index fingers raised and touch pads.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the original end of the story. Yet the story kept happening to me.
> 
> This makes a good place to pause my updates. Call it the obligatory cliff hanger. :)


	19. A Friend Leaves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is more to having a companion than we thought.

Nothing happens.

No sparks, no fireworks, no epiphany, no grand quest is revealed.  
But the touch turns into a pawshake, which turns into a hug where I mark him, finally I am sitting curled up in his lap, his arms wrapped around me. We will not give our embrace up for hours. For this day we had to wait for our entire lives. There is an automatic understanding, and we have memories to share. I fully appreciate the 'companion animal' appeal now that I have mine.  
'Or does he have his?'

I come to my senses after a while. I turn around scanning the room and spot the weasel, she lets me see her this time. She is ready to meet me and I can tell that something is bothering her. The staff at the compound is dwindling as we prepare to abandon it. She had stayed on, still looking for her someone. Her human companion has not been found but we know that one exists. I did find out who this weasel was some months ago. I understand the game that we play. I smile to see that my 'donut weasel' still stands ready.

I ask my companion:  
"Wanna see a trick? Hold out your paw, slightly open."  
When he does, she is there in seconds, on the table, in front of us, with her present. Only this time she hugs the donut to her tiny chest. Her face is sad.  
"Freddy, this is Jillian."  
"Hi." he responds simply.  
"Jillian Frank-Burns sirs. Glad to finally meet you." "Explain yourself, please."  
She understands what I ask and looks up to him.  
"I am a petite mammal with few special skills so there seemed to be nothing I could do to help the community. So I made this..." holding the donut out for a moment,  
"the little thing I could do to show Freddy," she nods her head in my direction,  
"gratitude for my rescue. It became our special game. I leave for home-world in the morning sirs." "What you did was grrreat for morale. I needed it. No, WE, the whole compound needed it more than I believe you realize. Didn't help my gut however",  
said while patting my stomach with a paw.  
"Thank you for your service ma'am."  
I salute her. She slides the last donut into his hand, salutes us, hops off of the table, and walks away with a smile, her eyes glistening.

Later I present my companion with his own collar and tag. It is the last tag that will ever be issued at the compound.

...  
After meeting my human companion, we seldom spend time apart. I chide him for having a typical 'human' accent when talking standard and his vulpine is even worse. He countered that I was the one that had the accent. After some weeks together, we have one accent that is a combination of both. He has even taken up my growly 'tic' somehow. I don't think he even realizes that he is doing it. I end up not caring about doing it either. Having my companion has ended most of my anxieties. We support each other. It is a platonic love between us, that is the best way to describe the feelings. We sleep together, but there is no physical consummation of our bond. Neither of us is homosexual or promiscuous. He becomes part of my staff and usually travels wherever I must go. I won't be without him.

We have a 'play doctor' moment the first time we showered together. After a thorough and intimate washing, the drying and brushing gives us our chance to explore every curve, texture, and bit. Then I have him on his stomach, while using four paws to stand on his back, paw-kneading any possible stiff muscle. In turn, I am laying in his lap while he brushes, this time more to caress and relax.  
My fur is mostly brown, not the elegant red or orange the fashion foxes possess. Typical black nose pad, black legs and paws, and white tail tip. My ventral counter shade is sandy grayish. His is hair, not fur, where it exists is brown and short. It has no shading variations. Our eyes match, both amber. Neither considers our appearance more than 'meh!' for our species.  
We start joking about who is more 'meh'. That evolves into a bragging contest about who looks worst.  
"I have a face for radio, a voice for newspapers, and writing skills for coloring books!"  
"Well, I can ugly the paint off of a wall!" "Hah! That's nothing, I can bring down a flying duck with my grin at fifty meters.  
"OK. I could ugly the paint off of a car fender except the shiny paint reflects it back and tears up my clothes instead." "All-right, I admit that I had to stop hunting ducks because it blew them up, making them useless for food."  
"Hey, you could double up with me and we can finish those fenders off!"

After deciding that it was a draw, we go outside to play, making up for the not growing up together moments that we missed. We play 'fetch' with a fluorescent plastic baton from the toy box at the compound. We throw it back and forth for the other to catch, by paw, tooth, dive, or tackle. Freddy misses a throw and it's gone thoroughly missing in deep snow. I blame him for losing the baton. He blames me for throwing it wild. We chase each other around a bit. I manage to push him over into a snow drift. To retaliate, he throws me into another, then has to dig me out because I'm in too deep. We roll around in that hole first before he helps me out. That is, he sits up, then throws me up and over the rim to where I land in another part of the snowbank. I'm now stuck in another hole. Then he stands up and wallows a path through the snowbank to my new hole.  
"Had enough?" In reply I just latch my teeth on to a coat sleeve and pull him around growling. He falls over and I pounce on his chest, licking his face.  
"Have YOU had enough?"  
I demand between laughs and licks.  
"Uncle! Uncle! I give!" He pulls me down and licks my face, also laughing. We settle down. This time he carries me out of the snowbank and sets me down in a clear spot. Snow is matted all over us.

I come to the realization that this is not regular buddy play. For the first time in my life I have a prospective mate. My active season is near and I'm in the middle of my resumptive phase. My musk is getting stronger and I am feeling possessive of my companion. My body reacts to his presence even though I will never act out the urges. I've never felt it this strong in the over a dozen years that I've had seasons including the first one. I remember something from 'the talk' my father gave me.  
'Canine mates play like this before...'  
'Oh! I hope Freddy doesn't notice how I change my actions.'  
I run back to the main building with him chasing, explaining that we have things to do.

Later I am sitting in his lap with a bowl in my lap containing some mix of unhealthy fried snack foods. When we are settled in on munching my companion asks,  
"I had a strange flash of thought when we were running back to the compound. I don't know where it came from. Can you tell me what 'canine mate play' is about?" "Oh, uhh..."  
'How can I explain this without sounding weird? He is the obvious target of my affection.'  
"Oh!" He is startled and his eyes widen.  
"Oh!"  
I just got a flash of thought. It has to be from him. It says to me: "I just told Freddy everything involving his question and my feelings towards him. He just related his feelings towards me. It's apprehensive but he is not repulsed. He understands."  
Neither feels a need to speak after that. We just go back to our snacks, more comfortable with each other's embrace.

...  
He takes me to meet his family. They are expecting just him. I follow him to the house on four paws. At the door he points at me and then asks them:  
"He followed me home. Can I keep him?" I'm sitting on my haunches to his right, giving my best big-eyed sad puppy look. They stare at me for a moment, look over to see the human and tiger security leaning on our van, then boggle when they recognize me. They hastily invite us inside. We explain about why I am with him and how we are companions. Why we wear matching collars and tags. They did not know that he had a companion nor did they know what having one was about. We spend the rest of the visit getting acquainted and informed.  
Later on during his first trip to my world we pull the same 'keep him' stunt with my family, this time he is following me home.

When we first met I knew that we had memories to share. I thought that we would be telling our stories, meeting friends, seeing childhood places. Instead our minds are gradually consolidating. This is what the 'pull' really was about. It's even stronger since we are together. I find that I am knowing more of his memories each day now. He knows me the same way. I will become aware of a memory that couldn't be mine, yet it is like I always knew it. It's almost like possession.

We have an understanding about food types, and he no longer eats certain meats that are still available in the human world. Starting with us this world is changing. It may occur a few generations beyond us, but 'mammal' will not be on the menu some day. He can't change his past.

One unfortunate afternoon I happened to touch on his memory of a particular meal. He is eating 'ribs' of the best quality, dark, sweet, and smoky. Because of how the memory worked, I taste the dinner and enjoy it as well. It is the same as if I had consumed it myself. I wander further into his pleasant memory, seeking more of it. My revulsion is immediately triggered when I find out what 'ribs' is and I retch up my last meal. Freddy does not initially understand what is happening to me and alerts the staff. Everyone thinks that I may have food poisoning and medical assistance is called. He holds me close while I try to tell them that it is not the cause.  
My companion is able to read me and explain why this has happened after I have collapsed. He gets everymammal calmed down. Then he touches part of my memory about forbidden foods and goes through the same sickness episode. Fortunately he was accustomed to eating this type of food, now just memories, and resists the effect well enough to keep the situation under control. His distress is obvious but he doesn't pass out. We both get an ambulance ride to the hospital anyway. Their tests clear us of disease or attack. He asks for counseling to be there when I wake up. We will both need it.  
We find it hard to embrace each other for a few days. There are a lot of memories of this nature in us that are about to get shared.

Nothing like this has ever happened before. Once the problem is understood, an alert is sent out to the other companion teams. We need to meet as soon as possible.

A therapy group is formed. We have most assembled at a hospital in the human world, since most of the companion teams are there at the moment. We use a large empty room, just chairs or cushions for companion teams. Hospital staff obviously standing by. This worries the teams. I am sitting in my human's lap. Most of the teams are similarly arranged, the larger member cradling the smaller one.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't explain why we hurried you here and shortly you will understand why the silence. By now most of you will have heard that something happened to us."  
I pull closer the arms he has around me.  
"We are better now. It is expected that every one of you will have to endure this. We have set up this controlled environment to keep you safe. I'm sorry for what you are about to go through. Please let it happen now while assistance is available. Don't tell this to any teams not here tonight."

I go on to explain our episode and what triggered it. I barely finish before the Ritas have their episode. They go down, one by one in about half a minute. As expected, just knowing that it can happen prompts the teams to look through the newly shared memories and the problem arises. The others look on in fear as the staff collects the Ritas.

To the rest I speak:  
"I know how bad this looks. You will get over it."  
It is a long night for the companion teams and hospital staff.  
Most are in recovery rooms when I check around in the morning. The mega-fauna are made comfortable in the room where we started. None have come to any real harm. In spite of the trauma, the companion teams are closer that ever.

The remaining teams are brought in when possible

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plenty of bad jokes in this chapter.  
> And there are two jokes in the weasel’s name.


	20. Johann Fuchs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was one serious problem with the experiment.

The state police officer is driving us out to a farm. The coroner is with him in the front seat. Abrahm is with me at my request, holding me in his lap, while we ride in the back seat. My assistant stays behind to manage the consulate this day.  
We meet the farm's owner, Patric, for introductions. He puzzles for a moment at seeing a lion and fox as part of the group. Since he doesn't freeze, I assume that that moment happened for him while watching us on TV. I explain to him his role as a guardian in this matter. He then leads us to the back of his house.  
"I found him over yonder. Dead." His intonation seems without emotion.  
'Probably in renewed shock at the gravity of this moment.'  
He points to a wooden fence enclosing the yard behind the house. There is a half circle of discolored paint on the boards. The officer goes over there to take pictures. The snow has not collected in that part of the yard.  
"He was carry-in these." I was pawed a phone, a wallet, and some keys. I examine each briefly, then drop it into a bag. I pass this to the officer who is now back beside us taking notes.  
"We felt soar-e for the little fella." as he is reaching into a chest type deep freezer on the back porch.  
"So we wrapped 'im up an' kept 'im in here." He lays out the body on the porch, protected in clear plastic. He takes the time to dust away some ice crust on the outside of the wrappings.  
'That is not enough ice build up for the two years that Johann has been in there. They have been tending to him. I wonder if they talk to him?'  
'Even now Patric is trying to console Johann.'  
I muse. Johann is curled up within in a way that would have been comfortable, were he alive.  
"Din' know what we would do with 'im, least until Martha spots you talkin' on the TV with the president."

I drift off momentarily thinking back to that first press conference. It's like I am subconsciously trying to avoid this situation. Abrahm starts rubbing my shoulders. He takes action when I need it, I don't have to ask. The coroner discretely takes the body away, to be placed into a cooler we brought.

Johann Fuchs was his name. He was from the old country in my world, humans called it Germany here.  
'He was actually standing next to me for the photo.'  
I shiver when I realize:  
'It could have been me.'  
"Thank you sir",  
we shake paw to hand.  
"As his guardian you did all that you could, considering. His family will appreciate that. They have closure."

He is quietly shedding tears now. My intermittent huffs and sniffling may have set him off.  
'Someone better qualified should be doing this.'  
I am struggling with my self doubt again.

I pawed him my business card.  
"Call me tomorrow if you can. We are arranging his final services on my world and would be honored if you and Martha represent your world there. Your VIP status is assured by me personally and your trip is fully sponsored."  
"Thank-ya ambassador, I will."

I wait.  
'He has more to say.'  
"Normally I would shoot a fox runnin' 'round my property." I press back against Abrahm again.  
'This is going to be bad.'  
Patric pauses to glance down at me, 'another fox' on his property. I can see in his eyes that he seeks my forgiveness.  
'He has already done this deed in the past.'  
"And... and I fear that I might-a sh-shot Johann too if he were still runnin' about."

"NO!"  
I have to stop this train of thought.  
"You would never have done that to Johann. I can sense that from you."  
I tap a finger to the side of my muzzle, moving it cheek to nose making sure that he sees my gesture. This is a white lie, because it's not my sense of smell that tells me this truth, but it's easier to explain it that way to others. Patric is a guardian. He has already done what he could to help Johann.

"As for your Earth foxes..."  
I keen and look to the ground away from him. I have to take a deep breath, eyes closed now.  
"I have met a few in the wild... and find them to be stupid mean brutes. Do what you feel is necessary to deal with them.",  
sniff,  
"I... I forgive you."  
'I am condemning them.'  
Patric joins the hug.

...  
We found the other Johann Fuchs in Germany. He is said to be a 'fur'. The report we get is that he had suffered a serious unexplainable accident on the same day that our Johann was abducted. When he first woke in the hospital, he was disoriented, speaking an unknown language, staring at his hands constantly. He did not recognize family or friends. The next day he woke up like nothing was wrong. Then another day the confused Johann was back. When he could talk to the doctors, he reported strange dreams of another life. After several days alternating like this, Johann was actively switching between the two personalities at will, like they were working together.

So I pay a visit to Germany a few days after retrieving Johann's body. The Ritas and Freddy are with me along with my usual security. We are to meet this human at his home When we arrive outside the door, I can immediately sense that he is a guardian. It is the strongest that I have ever felt. But once we are inside he somehow changes and 'it' goes away.  
He speaks to me in perfect vulpine.  
"Freddy Pelle, we have heard so much about you!" When he says 'we' both hands point to himself, the human.  
"I am Johann," he shakes my offered paw. I look down to confirm a human hand, puzzled by the feel of his contact on my paw.  
'Why does it feel like I am shaking another fox's paw?'  
The shift happens again while our paws are still clasped. The guardian is back. Speaking in common with a heavy German accent he says,  
"and I am Johann." He starts shaking mine again.  
'This is clearly a human hand I am holding.'

"This is amazing. Are you both alright?"  
"Yes, we are fine." he 'they?', somehow respond with the two voices at the same time.  
"These are the Ritas,",  
introducing the four as a group.  
"Treat them as one. They specialize in uniting companions. And this is Freddy, my companion, taking notes today."  
"What can the Ritas tell us about the Johanns?"

The Ritas confirmed that the Zootopian Johann had joined with the human Johann. The human was a guardian, and also the companion for the other. When the one had died during the botched transfer, the other took on enough of the destructive force to rescue his other self and share the body that lived. The first several days of confusion was the two struggling to understand each other within the one body.

A special state funeral is held for the mammal Johann in Zootopia. Johanns goes to his own funeral.  
He wasn't late.  
They are accompanied by his human and mammal parents. This was a difficult thing to explain to both world's families. They were all happy that they still had both of their Johanns. Johann thank Patric and Martha for watching over his mortal body. Later is a reception. When I finally left, both sets of parents were trying to outdo each other telling growing up stories.

...  
Johan was transported to Earth just before me. It was the first full power experiment, actually later determined to be too much power. His distance from Fermilabs may have also contributed to the failure. Until we compared our notes with the Fermilabs logs, we didn't even known Johan was here.

One other predicted transfer didn't happen, canceled because of equipment problems.  
All other transported Zootopians have been located, at least those because of Fermilabs.


	21. Yes, I Am An Ambassador Now

I was there for the first radio messages. Coordinated the science teams. In the first Further group to return. Soon both worlds clamored for me to be their voice. Officially, I am representing my world to the human one. There is a lot to do since this is still a 'first contact' situation.  
We don't want for any physical needs anymore. We have a nice residence at both embassies, on Earth and Furth, food and clothing are always ready. There is staff to assist with every official and personal need. We get daily grooming touch ups. I've never been more presentable. We must always look our best.  
This luxury came with a price.  
The ambassador is the image, the smile, the 'shine'. There is security. Fans, groupies and kooks are kept away. There are whispers of threats on our person. These are distractions from my duties. Isolation takes away my friends and freedom.  
Public appearances and business meetings are not a substitute. We can't just go out. Even the 'walkies' routine doesn't work anymore. Two times I sneak out, on a leash wearing only shorts that are patterned to match my fur in that area, on four paws. Also dressed plainly walking around with a pet. A few passers by still recognize Me. On the third outing the paparazzi ambush Me.  
I have duties and they are always political. An ambassador is just another politician. The choices I must make affect two worlds. I grew up in both and I will not play favorites. I feel dirty sometimes.

One of the worst things I have had to do is accept the public resignation of the Fermilabs director. Ultimately as the head of the facility, he was deemed responsible for what happened to us abducted mammals because of the physical and life altering harm caused us. Overall the mammals benefited, worlds opened up, science advanced, civilization improved. But someone had to take the fall in the very public event I had to officiate. I did not want this and was very vocal about it. The other teams were there for him as well. For us it was a short term inconvenience which gave us our companions and a better life. But is was either him or Tony Hutchins, the creator of the experiment who would have to go.  
I was able to make it up to him by quietly hiring him as my science advisor.

We hear of something some other companion teams are able to do. Deciding to try it, we sit alone together back at the apartment and contemplate each other's bodies and minds. Nothing seems to have changed until I notice that my vision has become more colorful and I see the room from greater height. I look down to see myself in my companion's lap looking up, the same wonder in those eyes. We have switched places. We have a wonderful week exploring each other and the world while switching bodies regularly.  
And then...  
...  
Approximately ten months after first our first meeting as companions, there is no 'us' anymore. There is just 'me', **Freddy** who has two physical bodies, **My** avatars, to work with. **My** human and fox forms are still independent and go about our separate day as required. Other people still interact with 'us' but they are only parts of what is **Me**. The 'fox' is **My** public face, the ambassador, schmoozer, deal maker, business mammal, the one everybody chases when they want something. The 'human' is **My** private side, has more freedom, assistant, administrator, the listener, refuge from the world. They tell **Me** things through him that they don't dare say to the fox. Even I retreat to him when it seems that no one else will listen. **I** can literally talk to myself and get answers. **My** theory is that the two bodies are the Id and Ego that allows us to function as the two, **I** am their united Superego. Neither part has lost anything, **I** feel truly whole now.

**I** start testing **My** limits. First **I** tried not using one avatar for a day, then do the same with the other. **I** could hardly do it for that long. The neglected self was starved for attention. **I** actively need both to be **Me**.

**I** thought of this great plan where sleep was optional. **I** can do more if some part of **Me** is always awake. One avatar can sleep while the other does things. Then it's the other's turn to sleep. Wake times overlap. **I** push this to almost a month until realizing that this is hurting them and the collected **Me** , as well. It's because we are not getting enough time together. **I** still need the physical contact and interaction, which includes sleeping together, to stay healthy.

**I** was the first to reach 'unity'. That's what we call it after **I** speak of the experience at our next therapy meeting. I'm usually there weekly. The therapy sessions have brought **Me** to this unique condition safely. Other companion teams will be doing this, some very soon, others later. The rate is different for every team. It's a natural change, something one grows into that can't be rushed. There were dangers to the process. I went through some of them alone with my companion.

There are now four Ritas. We had a male wolf who was doing 'Nick' at the first photo shoot. I think his name was Lucas Bailey. The two Ritas found his companion mate, a male human who fursuits as 'Rita' the female wolf. He was doing this long before the 'abductions' started. His wolf companion adopted the fan name 'Rita' shortly after meeting his human male companion. Technically the males are gay. It didn't take much to realize that all four were companions. Now the four together are some kind of gestalt. The individual name is Rita, when you can tell one apart. The more accepted and correct gestalt term is 'Ritas'. They will be next to achieve unity, everyone feels it. They formed their team first, but it took longer to consolidate because there were memories of the four to join.

It's our future to be unified. The rest are eager to reach it, now knowing it's there for them.  
**I** have to wonder about how the companion teams with extreme size differences will handle it. Those where the human is with a mouse or an elephant. **I** will bring it up at another meeting.

We decide that there are three levels of companions. The Ritas provide us with the best insight into these groupings.  
'True' companions form the unity bond of full memory sharing, direct communication, and one spirit.  
'Lesser' companions form a bond of almost full memory sharing.  
'False' companions form a bond of modest memory sharing.

Physical interaction is very important to the bonding process.  
There is no dominance, the companions are truly cooperative.  
The true and lesser companions is a limited set because the events that create them were one-time. False companion teams are still forming according to the Ritas.  
Only **I** , Freddy and my companion can locate and confirm guardians.  
Only the **Ritas** can locate, confirm, and unite companions.  
Guardians have a natural talent for attracting the original abducted mammals, and individuals in dire need. They exist equally in both worlds.

The Myers' clinic has become a spa, partnered with Mystic Springs Oasis, both sought out internationally and inter-worldly. The Mystic Springs Oasis is still featuring pleasure and well being services, adding medical and maintenance services, the Myers' clinic is focused on more clinical and maintenance services, adding pleasure and mental well being services. Both feature staff from both worlds.

The Exotic Feline Rescue has had increased success and support of their mission.


	22. Why me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Science versus theology. Why did this happen to us?

The biggest unanswered question is 'Why me?'  
The obvious answer that doesn't answer the question is “Because you were in that group.”  
But the photo shoot took place two years before the abductions started happening. It only happened to those posing, not the milling onlookers, not those taking pictures, not mammals that stood in that place before or after.

Why do mammals transfer close to best source of aid and guardians,? The drop points did not seem random. Why were there companions and guardians?

Not all from the group get transported, but it is estimated that the experiment was scheduled to run just enough times that the remaining mammals should have been taken before we stop it.  
Some try to explain it as a result of how the experiment was setup.

Why was my photo on the WEB page the only one any of us put up anywhere? No other mammal had done this even though some had managed to retrieve similar photos.

Was it the cohesiveness of the group? I remember feeling an overwhelming sense of a need to belong while I stood there, I was almost in tears by the time we broke up. Others reported similar feelings when I asked at one of the therapy sessions. It shouldn't have been that intense. We as a group had pushed together to almost half of the space we were using at the start. It was a group hug effect.  
**My** human's memories show **My** his attendance of a mirroring event, at the same time, similar theme, same heavy feeling.

...  
There are a number of science and theology debates still going on.

The **Zoeys** follow the theory that technology caused this.  
Our group got 'marked' at that moment by a quantum entanglement caused by an early test experiment from Fermilabs that somehow focused on the spot where we stood. We were reacting the way we did because the energy tended to pull objects 'not fastened down' to the center. The emotional feelings were because the physical 'herding together' affected our bonding instincts. Johann and I were the first ones transported because we stood at the very center of the unseen sphere that enveloped our group. After the first few were transported the energy expended caused a random repositioning of our quantum locations within that theoretical sphere. As each happened, more stirring took place, which is why the Finnik and Bogo cos-players at the sides were equally represented among the abductees. The human companions who were standing in the same place in that world became linked to their counterpart by the same 'marking' effect.

It is a plausible theory except most of the human companions have chosen their species and fursonas long before any such quantum experiments took place. Mammals on my side were following a popular notion of a highly intelligent, upright walking alien creature about as big as a timber wolf. Most persona designs had more toes, the chosen number was a player's preference. Many debates centered about how many toes were optimal. I happened to choose ten for my persona. All companions felt a close attachment to their imaginary creature, the 'pull' of the other self. Another problem with Zoeys theory is they have never identified any experiment taking place on that 'marking' day, at Fermilabs or any other facility.

This theory requires Hypothesis and Science, and offers little actual proof.

...  
Yax proposes a theory that is just as compelling.  
If you were to meet Yax in person, you could easily conclude that he was a burnt out hippie. Once you get past the silly naturalist shell, you find one of the best minds ever. It takes some patience and knowing how to ask questions to get to it.

One of the deities, probably Destiny, has been nudging our combined world history in the direction of making portals. Over the eons, the worlds maintain compatibility in biodiversity. Lightening forms transient natural portals moving life back and forth. Cultural nudges were dropped in the form of random mammals carrying language, ideas, and skills with them. There are hints of this in the folklore of both worlds. When the time was right, She chose a group, saw to it that the mammals in it were sent to safe places, with guardians nearby to receive them. The choice of our group led to our reassembling on the 'other side'. Then mammals on 'my' side have the mechanism in place for return trips. We are then able to bring the two worlds together. Our reward is getting a companion.

This theory requires Faith and Deities, and offers little actual proof.

I follow reports from the researchers as they are collecting lore, stories, and artifacts related to special animals in the human world. There are human researchers working in my world as well. Hard evidence starts with the earliest recorded history, the cave paintings. There are the storytellers, and verbal history, even what they call 'genetic memory'. All things point to long term interaction of our worlds.


	23. The Anniversary Conventions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to fun and games.

Mr. Big is there with his nephew who was one of the transferred mammals. The shrew's companion is now part of the Big family and the shrew is part of the human's family. The polar bear, Kevin, that carries Mr Big, proudly watches his own son, the fire-mammal and his human companion. Mr. Big has reached out to the ZPD via **Judy** and Nick in order to make this very public appearance. **I** get involved pushing the approval because **I** wish to meet him, for personal and official reasons. Law enforcement from several three-letter agencies are ordered to keep their distance. They are only allowed to protect today.

 **My** assistant finds the intimidating polar bears that guard Mr. Big. They certainly keep the pests away. I approach their group slowly, they watch warily. **My** security watches his. When I am at a respectable distance I ask:  
"Mr. Big, sir, may I ask a favor?"  
"Come closer, that we may converse politely" "Do you know who I am sir?"  
"Aah, yes! You are Freddy, the human companion to the ambassador. My nephew talks of you. How may I be of assistance?" " **We** wish a private audience. This seems to be a good opportunity."  
"Call the ambassador, we shall have this meeting in my limousine." I have an unfocused look for a moment. Mr. Big raises an eyebrow at this.  
"The ambassador says he will join us in ten minutes. The presentation is almost over. He will meet us there."  
There was something else that I 'told' to the ambassador, something I sensed.  
"Then let me show you the way."

In Mr. Big's limo we are sharing tales over drinks while waiting. I have explained how I communicated with my other half. The ambassador joins us in a few minutes. Kevin is with us at My request.

 **I** take a moment to show Mr. Big **My** respect by the traditional ring greeting. He has his ways.  
My ambassador speaks first.  
"Thank you for your time sir."  
"I must thank you for it is you who have done me a great service. You brought my nephew and the son of a valued employee home safely. They speak highly of you. I am in your debt" **I** have to blush at this.  
"I am honored to be of service. But I did not do it just for them. I helped my self as well. **We** are all better for the experience."  
My eyes linger on my assistant before I nestle back against him. Then I look back and forth between Mr. Big and Kevin so that they understand that I am addressing both now.  
"Have the children told you about the companion experience? About what **I** have become? What they will become?"  
"They say that they will become one, like you, soon. Yet there are two of you. Yes?" " **I** physically exist as the two mammals you see. But there is only one me inside that is the joining of the two. **I** am a fox and a human, physically and spiritually. One who is greater than the sum of the two. There are a few other companions existing like **I** do now. Both of your kin are very close to this achievement."  
Kevin rumbles up:  
"Already I have gained human son. Always together, like twins they are. Closer not possible." I give a knowing smile.  
"You will know when it happens. And **I** will not spoil your surprise with any more detail. **I'm** already there, I know what is coming for them and you."  
"But that's enough about **Me**."

I drop my smile to a neutral expression instead.  
" **I** do have one official reason for requesting this audience. **I** need to know what your business interests are, concerning the human world."  
"I have have met with my associates in this other land. We will remain with our respective worlds. To do otherwise would only bring about conflict. Such wars are bad for business. We cannot speak for the upstarts, the new gangs. There will always be those beyond our influence. If they cross into my territory, I will remove them. Law enforcement must deal with the rest." "Good enough sir. I have no desire to interfere with your business. You fill a niche that has always existed, as do your counterparts in the other world. There is the law created by the many and the law created by the one. Neither is the perfect solution. This is a basic flaw with society. Without your law, more mammals than now would have no law at all. If you should ever require it, **I** offer you **My** services as an impartial and confidential mediator between world leaders of your variety. As **I** have parts of **Me** from both places, **I** favor both equally."

 **My** ambassador and assistant exchange knowing nods. **My** assistant takes over the conversation.  
"Mr. Big, sir, has your nephew also told you about the 'guardian' trait?"  
"That he has, it is about finding and protecting lost mammals." "Basically that is correct sir. But there is so much more. It is a wonderful, fulfilling experience.  
And... and YOU are a guardian! It is rare thing to possess. Congratulations! **I** suspected that you were one after hearing stories about your kindness in our therapy group discussions. **I** confirmed it as I first approached you today. Please consider this gift when you are dealing with others. It is a part of who you are. **I** have the feeling that if you reflect upon your past that you will see how this has always been with you."  
" **I** have spent much time in sessions with guardians and their wards. Officer Wilde-Hopps tells the story that once before he was a ward in a guardian's care. Your thoughts, sir?"

Mr big seems to be in turmoil.  
"I could have iced Nikki. He brought shame upon my house. Grand-mama will forever bear the mark of that shame." The anger in his voice rises.  
"And somehow I couldn't. The anger faded. "Instead, I banished Nikki with a warning. Even after banishment, he dares to shows his face again. This time I have to ice him,..." The anger is back.  
"except that my daughter, Fru-Fru stops me." The anger fades again.  
"Such disrespectful behavior, that is the way with children, yes?" "To a guardian such as yourself, Nick will always be your child. Don't beat yourself up over it, You could never harm your ward. It is part of the guardian bond. I would like to meet your daughter. It could it be that my Fru-Fru is a guardian too. I wish that you would join our group, and come to some meetings. It will help you understand what you have."

...  
Convention attendance has doubled from last year, and every part of convention center gets used.  
Spurred on by several vendors in the dealer's rooms, there is a dog tag fad running, Even with all of them working, collars and tags are still selling out faster than they can make them.  
Same things happen with the Chicago convention two weeks later.

 **I** do another ventriloquist panel, this time **My** larger companion holds My smaller companion in his lap. It's a repeat of some of the bad jokes from the first time and some new material. We play the voice delay gag as before but make little pretense of this being an act. Instead, we explain how the trick was used to fool our audience back then.

At the Chicago performance I start with:  
"Hi. Who remembers when I was here three years ago?"  
There are many hands showing. I see that girl in the front row again. Her fidgeting, glances, and waves indicate that she wants to participate again. I can't wait to call her and nod my intent to call her up. When that time comes, she runs up just like before and we are nose to muzzle again. Only before I can lick her, she pulls **My** fox into a tight hug and completes with a a big kiss. Then repeats the same with **My** human. **I** am stunned. **My** jaws hang while she sashays back to her seat. **I'm** glad for the crowd cheering her. **I** need the time to recover.

The Earth convention chair hangs out with his false companion, the Furth convention chair. They present the special prints of my photo, framed and paw signed personally by me, each with the attendee's name, to the 'original group'. Other signed copies get sold for charity.

Many of us have speaking parts at event panels about our experience. **Judy** finishes **Her** last presentation with an inspirational speech.

Since **I** really can be in two places at once **I** have **My** human attend some of the activities that conflict with **My** fox's scheduled appearances. Security stays near both of **Me** but is unobtrusive. Since **I** am less recognized with this avatar, it's less disruptive.

 **I** run into a familiar twitchy wolf and his badger girlfriend at a panel on the two worlds. Planning for this I have slipped over my uniform an identical shirt to the one I wore that day five years ago. He barely glances my way when I sit next to him. He is used to humans and a few are elsewhere in the room. Many of the pair's kooky ideas have been validated in the last year and they are riding high on it. As another human, just my presence further boosts that ego. When the main presentation is over, we have time to form small discussion groups.  
The fox in me drills in. I start replaying some of his past topics, using exact quotes from those days past. He is getting quiet as I go on. Nobody in this room would have know those things, that were from our one-on-one from five years ago. Only one fox would know.  
He is staring at me now.  
'He noticed the shirt. He's just about to figure it out, who I am.'  
I give him my best conspiring voice:  
"Yes, I'm one of 'them'. Would you and your friend like to work for **Me**?"  
Then pass each a business card.

At that moment, in another room in front of a large audience, **My** fox bursts out in laughter.

...  
We start pictures with an all inclusive photo shoot where we try to stand roughly where we did five years ago. There are so many here now. Most want to be like Judy and Nick, their idols, even if it is temporary. Others want to feel that they are a part of the pioneer group. 'Those who saved worlds'. There are humans. There are mammals. There are humans in fursuits. There are mammals in humansuits. A tiered stage is there to get everyone in the shot. Nearly everyone wears collars and tags. Every Further from the original photo is accompanied by his guardians, companion, or photographs if they couldn't be there.

Judy & Nick Wilde-Hopps stand with their respective companions Judy and Nick Wilders, officers working for the city of Chicago. Originally named Judy Hopkins, she moved to Chicago from Owensboro Kentucky, he grew up in Chicago. She grew up on a farm, he lived on the rough streets. Neither were originally part of the 'furs' crowd, but are picking it up fast. They are true companions to Judy and Nick. They were just there assisting security at that Chicago convention 5 years ago. While they were mingling with the group after the photo taking was done they were pulled into the 'event'. Whatever happened to the group also marked them and linked them to a companion. The ones they stand with now.

 **I** have **My** choice on how **My** uniform of ambassador should look since **I** am the first trans-world one ever. The colors and patterns are very much like the ZPD dress uniforms, but just a enough different to not be confused. **I** still idolized Judy and Nick.

Finnik's role in the original Wilde-Hopps case was well known, even if never officially acknowledged. More than five years ago he had his fans, just like Bogo. One of them is the elephant standing to the side, again hilariously cos-playing as Finnik -dressed in the elephant onesie. Finnik has reluctantly accepted his place of honor. He is neither shy or quiet about his reluctance.

We also have the brave sheep ewe who portrays 'Psycho Dawn'. She is about one third taller than the real Dawn. Her full companion is with her wearing a sheep kigu. Same as always, **She** stalks random persons and targets them with **Her** blue 'I'm Savage!' badge ribbons. The only way to be 'cured' is to go to the charity table and donate, getting an 'I'm cured' ribbon.

For this photo I am standing in a middle row, in full ambassador's uniform, surrounded by several versions of ambassador me, my companion, some imitating him, and the Myers. Near to **My** left are Judy , Nick, their companions, and their guardian. We are within a very large group of 'Nick' tods and 'Judy' does, wearing full ZPD uniforms, companions and guardians close. Mixed in are 'Judy' vixens and 'Nick' bucks, sporting fake ears and tails as needed. Most of the human companions are in 'fur' costume. To **My** right, **Johanns** sits in for Johann, Patric and Martha with him. Behind me is my Abrahm and his costumed human companion, along with several other 'Abrahms' and the rescue center staff. Behind **My** section are the larger mammals in full ZPD costume posing as Judy or Nick. Up front are the smaller mammals. Again to the sides stand hilariously varied species versions of Finnik and Bogo with the real Finnik, Bogo, and their companions.

Several fox pups stand with the two nearly grown red foxes who sit in the lap of their one companion, next to their guardian couple, near the front of **My** section, all dressed as Junior Ranger Scouts or leaders.

But the group is not complete yet. **My** two selves hold out open paws. **Jillians** comes up and ceremonially presents **Me** with our over-sized donuts, weasel to human, human to fox. The others cheer them vigorously, while both of **Me** salute. **She** then get into their position for more photographs while **I** munch our donuts happily.

Just before this pose breaks up, Bogo bellows out:  
"Wilde-Hopps! Are we going to be abducted after this?" Both Judys and Nicks reflexively cringe, acting like children expecting to be spanked. Other ZPD and CPD officers are there with the crowd taking pictures. They are laughing. This is a rare Bogo joke. His signature scowl softens to a smile a moment later. He's having fun and now is showing it.

Bogo is flattered to have his imitators. ZPD public relations have never been better. And his two best officers are back. There was a boost in first responder recruiting for all size classes after the convention of five years ago. It may have tapered off after the initial spike, but never went away. Recent events have renewed the trend.  
We are calling it a 'Wilde-Hopps effect'.  
ZPD has their own table in the lobby for promotion and recruiting, and a room for interviews. Officers take turns at the table. **I** join them at the table when we can. All are very busy.  
Bogo's counterpart, his false companion Chief Bogart, from Chicago is here. There will be human and mammal officers at both of their stations from now on.

Both chiefs are already managing a new two worlds law enforcement division. A number of companion teams are in it, for they are best suited for job, having a part of themselves from both worlds. No teams are more famous or notorious than the Wilde-Hopps and the Wilders. After a few well publicized incidents everyone is calling it the "Wild and Wilder Agency".

...  
Next there is the original arrangement of humans from the furry Chicago convention those five years ago. **My** companion is dressed as Robin Hood, one of the few times he wears a costume. All but two humans in the group are furry representations of some real or fictional superhero, leader, or responder. Max the service dog is there with his owner.  
The theme that year was 'Heroes of justice'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't feel like I got Mr. Big's dialogue right..
> 
> Writing for 'unity' is difficult because we haven’t developed the pronouns sufficient to express the condition. I have used capitalization and bold to indicate references to the unified person. **Me** , **She** , **Judy** , etc. would be bold. You will notice that the Nicks have not reached unity at the time of this telling.


	24. So it ends.

There is one final shot to set up, and we do our best to recreate the pose that my photo made famous. Everyone is now five years older. We stand or sit in our original position, and have dressed mostly the same. More than one third are in real ZPD uniforms now. Many others are wearing official fire, rescue, and paramedic uniforms instead. The ones who are medical professional who don't have uniforms fall back on the costume ZPD uniforms. Two members from the original group are unfortunately gone. Photo portraits mark their places. Life has taken it's toll on all of us.

My original phone was already well outdated when this whole event started. It is now a museum piece in one of the embassies, hung on a wall framed with a print of 'that' photo. Now **I** use the dual world phones developed and released a few months after the tourism started.

On them **I** save the full version and make it **My** phones' background picture.  
The convention theme this year is "Judy and Nick: Saving worlds".  
In the photo I am standing in a middle row, in full uniform, near Judy and Nick, posing within the group of 'Nick' tods and 'Judy' does, wearing their uniforms. Mixed in are the 'Judy' vixens and 'Nick' bucks, sporting their fake ears and tails as before. To my side, **Johanns** sits, holding Johann's portrait. Behind my section are the larger mammals in full ZPD costume posing as Judy or Nick. Up front are the smaller mammals including shrews, Guinea pigs, stoats and bats. Also to the sides stand the hilariously varied species versions of Finnik and Bogo.

Two nearly grown red foxes sit near the front of my section, dressed as Junior Ranger Scout leaders. I know what they represent.  
The life for foxes has genuinely changed.

 **Freddy** ,  
unified human and fox.

**Author's Note:**

> I an using some formatting effects that will see much use in later chapters. I hope that they will enhance your experience with my work. Please let me know if I get it right. 
> 
> Overall, I wrote this for my own pleasure. If any of my readers like my work, so much the better.  
> Thanks again.
> 
>  **Freddy** ,  
> having something to say.


End file.
